SNOW 


AND  SLEDG 


KIRK 
MONROE 


FOH    A    MOMENT    THE    SENSATION    WAS    SICKENING 


SNOW-SHOES  AND  SLEDGES 


A  SEQUEL  TO 
"THE  FUR-SEAL'S   TOOTH" 


BY 

KIRK  MUNROE 

AUTHOR  OF  THE   "  MATES "   SERIES   "DERRICK   STERLING" 
"THE  FLAMINGO  FEATHER"  "WAKULLA"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW     YOUK    AND    LONDON 

HAKPKR    &    BKOTHEUS    PUUL18HKKS 

1903 


BY  KIRK  MUNROE 


FORWARD,  MARCH  !      A   Tale  of  the  Spanish: 

American  War.    Illustrated. 
THE    COPPER    PRINCESS.       A    Story    of    the 

Great  Lakes. 
THE  PAINTED  DESERT.     A  Story  of  Northern 

Arizona. 
THE  FUR- SEAL'S  TOOTH.     A  Story  of  Alaskan 

Adventure. 
SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES.     A   Sequel   to 

"The  Fur-Seal's  Tooth." 

RICK  DALE.    A  Story  of  the  Northwest  Coast. 
CAMPMATES.     A  Story  of  the  Plains. 
CANOEMATES.    A  Story  of  the  Florida  Reefs  and 

Everglades. 

DORYMATES.    A  Tale  of  the  Fishing  Banks. 
RAFTMATES.    A  Story  of  the  Mississippi. 

Illustrated.    Post  8vo,  Cloth,  $  1  25  per  volume. 

(The  "  Mates  "  Series,  4  vols.,  in  a  box,  $5  00.) 
WAKULLA.     A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Florida. 
THE  FLAMINGO  FEATHER.     A  Story  of  Ad 
venture. 

DERRICK  STERLING.    A  Story  of  the  Mines. 
CHRYSTAL,  JACK  &  CO.  and  DELTA   BIXBY. 

Two  Stories. 

Illustrated.    16mo,  Cloth,  60  cents  per  volume. 


HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS 

NEW  YORK  AND   LONDON 


Copyright,  1895,  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS. 


All  rights  reierved. 


ARCTIC  ALASKA 

Rivers  of  ice  and  a  sea  of  snow, 
A  wilderness  frigid  and  white  ; 

Mystical  skies  with  a  tremulous  glow, 
And  days  that  are  turned  into  night. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAQB 

I.    ALLOWED    TO    SPEAK    FOR    THEMSELVES      ...  1 

II.    A    DANGEROUS    BERTH    OFF    JUKON    MOUTH     .       .  8 

III.  MEASLES    AND    MUTINY 14 

IV.  PHIL     ASSUMES      COMMAND     AND     ASSERTS     HIS 

AUTHORITY 20 

V.    A    PARSON    AT   THE    WHEEL 27 

VI.    FLOATING    ICE    AND   "  CHY  " 34 

VII.    THE   "  CHIMO "    GOES    INTO    WINTER-QUARTERS    .  40 

VIII.    LIFE    AT    AN    ARCTIC    MISSION 46 

ix.  PHIL'S  ESKIMO  MILITIA 53 

X.    A    SAD    ROMANCE    OF    THE    WILDERNESS     .       .       .60 

XI.    THE    BOYS    CARRY    THEIR    POINT 67 

XII.    PHIL    FEEDS    HIS    DOGS 74 

XIII.  MUSIC    OF    THE    SLEDGE-BELLS 81 

XIV.  WINTER  TRAVEL   BENEATH    THE   ARCTIC   AURORA  88 
XV.    PHIL    HEARS    FROM    HIS    FATHER 95 

xvi.  THE  MATE'S  STORY 102 

XVII.    JALAP    COOMBS'S    FOURTEEN    PAIR    OF    FEET.       .  109 

XVIII.    CHRISTMAS    ON    THE    TANANA 116 

XIX.    A    BATTLE    WITH    WOLVES 123 

xx.  CHITSAH'S  NATURAL  TELEPHONE 129 

XXI.    A    YUKON    MINING    CAMP 136 

XXII.   THE    NEW    ARRIVAL    AT    FORTY    MILE     ....  143 

XXIII.    LAW    IN    THE    GOLD    DIGGINGS 150 


VI  CONTENTS 

CHAPTKR  PAGE 

XXIV.    REAPPEARANCE    OF    THE    FUR-SEAL'S    TOOTH  .  157 

XXV.    SERGE    DISCOVERS    A    CURIOUS    CAVERN     .       .  164 

XXVI.    CAMPING    'MID    PREHISTORIC    BONES      .       .       .  171 

XXVII.    LOST    IN    THE    FOREST 178 

XXVIII.    PHIL    ASSUMES    A    RESPONSIBILITY    ....  185 

XXIX.    A    WILDERNESS    ORPHAN 191 

XXX.    JALAP    AND    THE    DOGS    SING    A    LULLABY  .       .  198 

XXXI.    NEL-TE    QUALIFIES    AS    A    BRANCH    PILOT   .       .  205 

xxxn.  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH  CREATES  A  SENSATION  211 

XXXIII.  LOST    IN    A    MOUNTAIN    BLIZZARD       ....  217 

XXXIV.  COASTING    FIVE    MILES    IN    FIVE    MINUTES        .  223 
XXXV.    HOW   JALAP    COOMBS    MADE    PORT     ....  230 

XXXVI.    THE    MOST    FAMOUS    ALASKAN    GLACIER      .       .  237 

XXXVII.    BIG    AMOOK    AND    THE    CHILKAT    HUNTERS        .  244 

XXXVIII.    THE    TREACHEROUS    SHAMAN    OF    KLUKWAN     .  251 

XXXIX.    INVADING    A    CAPTAIN'S    CABIN 258 

XL.    IN    SITKA    TOWN 265 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FOR  A  MOMENT   THE    SENSATION    WAS    SICKENING       ....  Frantupitc, 

ESKIMO   HUT,  MOUTH   OF   THE   YUKON Facing  page       8 

THE    NATIVE    PILOT    DESERTS    HIS    POST "  "12 

"HERE  is  THE  MAN  WHO  DID  THAT  THING" "  "  18 

THE  ARRIVAL  OF  THE  UNKNOWN "  "28 

ARRIVAL  OF  THE  DOCTOR "  "42 

INDIAN  GIRLS,  ALASKA "  "68 

"CAP'N  PHIL'S  FADDER  GONE  UP  RIVER  !  YAAS,  HE  FADDER!"  "  "  66 

THE  EXHIBITION  DRILL  AT  ANVIK "  "78 

MAKING  CAMP  THE  FIRST  NIGHT  OUT "  "86 

"YOU  FADDER,  YAAS " "  "94 

A  FEW  MOMENTS  LATER  HIS  DOGS  STARTED  AFTER  THEIR 

VANISHED  COMPANIONS "  "  106 

"KIKMUK" "  "120 

"NOW,"  CRIED  SERGE,  "ALL  MAKE  A  DASH  TOGETHER!"  .  "  "  126 
"  WHY,  MATEY,  DON'T  YOU  REMEMBER  THE  OLD  BRIG 

'BETSY'?" "  "140 

"THAT'S  A  LIE!"  SHOUTED  THE  PRISONER,  HOARSELY  .  .  .  "  "  152 

FOR  A  SINGLE  MINUTE  THEY  GAZED  IN  BREATHLESS  AWE  .  "  "  174 

"  COME,  MAN.  COME  WIF  NEL-TE.  MAMMA  SAY  COME "  .  .  "  "  186 
"A  FLYING-FISH-CATCHER  FROM  OLD  HONG-KONG  —  YO  HO  ! 

ROLL  A  MAN  DOWN  !" "  "  202 

THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH  CREATES  A  SENSATION  .  .  "  "  214 


Vlll  ILLUSTRATIONS 

SERGK'S  METHOD  OF  LIGHTING  A  FIRE Facing  page  242 

JUNEAU    CITY,    ALASKA "  "  248 

THEY    WERE    WELCOMED     BY    THE     ENTIRE     POPULATION     OF 

KLDKWAN "  "  264 

A    CHILKAT    "  PRINCESS " "  "  256 

CfOTERNOR's   MANSION,  SITKA,  ALASKA "  "  266 

"  AtTNT   RUTH,  YOU'RE  A  BRICK  !    A  PERFECT   BRICK  !"  .      .      .  "  "  268 


SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 


CHAPTER  I 
ALLOWED  TO  SPEAK  FOK  THEMSELVES 

OF  course,  if  every  reader  of  this  story  had  also  read 
its  forerunner  there  would  be  no  need  of  introducing 
its  characters,  for  they  would  already  be  old  friends. 
We  would  merely  meet  them  at  the  place  where  they 
have  been  patiently  awaiting  us  all  this  time,  give  them 
an  encouraging  nod  of  recognition,  and  tell  them  to  go 
ahead  with  their  adventures  as  fast  as  they  pleased. 
That  would  be  well  enough  for  us  who  are  acquainted 
with  them ;  but  to  those  who  may  chance  to  read  this 
sequel  without  having  first  read  the  story  that  gives  it 
a  reason  for  being,  the  references  to  people,  things,  and 
incidents  of  the  past  that  must  necessarily  be  made 
from  time  to  time  would  be  confusing.  Therefore  it 
seems  fitting  that  those  characters  of  the  previous  story 
who  are  to  figure  with  any  prominence  in  this  one 
should  be  properly  introduced  ;  and  in  order  to  avoid 
the  discriminating  partiality  of  the  author,  who  would 
be  apt  to  say  too  much  concerning  those  whom  he  fan 
cied,  or  too  little  about  those  whom  he  disliked,  each 
one  shall  be  given  the  privilege  of  introducing  himself. 
To  begin  with,  here  is  our  old  friend  Phil  Ryder. 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  name  right  enough,  and  I  want  to 


2  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

say  first  thing  that  I  think  it  is  high  time  some  notice 
were  taken  of  us,  after  the  unsatisfactory  conclusion  of 
that  other  book,  and  the  wretched  state  of  uncertainty 
in  which  we  were  all  left.  It  seemed  to  me  the  very 
worst  ending  to  a  story  that  I  ever  heard  of." 

"  But,  Phil,  it  wasn't  the  end.  There  was  to  be  a 
sequel." 

"  Well,  you  didn't  say  so,  and  nobody  knew,  and  I 
for  one  have  been  greatly  mortified  ever  since,  without 
a  chance  to  say  a  word  on  the  subject  either.  Now,  as 
to  myself,  if  any  one  cares  to  know  who  I  am,  and 
where  I  am,  and  how  I  got  here,  I  am  the  son  of  Mr. 
John  Ryder,  of  New  London,  Connecticut.  He  is  a 
mining  expert,  and  is  at  present  engaged  to  investigate 
some  properties  near  Sitka,  Alaska,  where  I  was  to 
have  joined  him  last  May.  It  is  now  September,  and 
I  haven't  got  there  yet,  though  I  have  been  travelling 
steadily  ever  since  April,  and  trying  my  very  best  to 
reach  Sitka.  I'm  sure  it  isn't  my  fault  that  things 
have  happened  to  take  me  most  everywhere  else,  and 
finally  to  drop  me  away  up  here  in  northern  Alaska, 
two  thousand  miles  or  so  beyond  Sitka.  I'm  on  the 
right  track  now,  though,  for  I  am  on  a  steamboat  be 
longing  to  Mr.  Hamer,  bound  up  the  Yukon  River.  It 
will  take  me  to  the  head  of  navigation.  Then  all  I 
shall  have  to  do  will  be  to  cross  the  Divide  to  Chilkat, 
and  take  another  steamer  for  Sitka,  which  place  I  ex 
pect  to  reach  before  the  winter  is  over.  Then  my 
father's  anxiety  will  be  relieved,  for  I  suppose  he  is 
anxious,  though  I  can't  see  why  he  should  be.  He  must 
know  that  I  am  perfectly  well  able  to  take  care  of  my 
self,  and  will  turn  up  all  right  some  time.  Both  he  and 
Aunt  Ruth  seem  to  think  that  I  am  careless  and  liable 
to  get  into  scrapes,  while  really  I  never  do  anything 
important  without  the  most  careful  consideration — that 
is,  whenever  there  is  time  for  considering. 


ALLOWED   TO    SPEAK   FOK   THEMSELVES  3 

"For  instance,  I  didn't  decide  that  to  go  up  the 
Yukon  was  the  very  best  and  shortest  way  to  reach 
Sitka  until  I  had  talked  it  all  over  with  Serge.  I'm 
awfully  glad  it  is  the  best  thing  to  do,  though,  for  it 
is  so  much  more  interesting  to  travel  over  a  new  route 
than  back  by  the  one  you  have  just  come.  That's  one 
reason  I  wouldn't  pay  any  attention  to  that  schooner 
we  passed  soon  after  leaving  St.  Michaels,  though  she 
did  seem  to  be  trying  to  signal  us.  I  was  afraid  she 
might  be  bound  south  to  Oonalaska,  or  even  to  Sitka 
itself,  in  which  case  our  plans  would  have  been  all  up 
set  again.  I  should  have  hated  that,  for  if  there  is  any 
one  thing  I  believe  in  it  is  sticking  to  a  plan  and  car 
rying  it  out  after  it  is  once  decided  upon.  So  does 
Serge,  who  is  one  of  the  very  best  fellows  that  ever 
lived,  even  if  he  is  a  little  slow.  I  am  mighty  glad  to 
have  him  for  a  travelling  companion,  for  he  is  true  as 
steel  and  awfully  level-headed.  I  only  wish  old  Jalap 
were  with  us,  for  he  is  about  the  best  fun  of  any  one 
I  know.  I  don't  suppose  we  shall  ever  see  him  again, 
though ;  and,  now  that  I  come  to  think  of  it,  it  does  seem 
as  if  we  ought  to  have  made  a  search  for  him  on  Ooni- 
mak  before  leaving  in  such  a  hurry.  But  as  we  were 
prisoners  of  war  on  board  the  cutter,  I  don't  exactly 
see  how  we  could  have  done  anything  but  what  we  did. 
Here  comes  Serge  now,  and  you  really  ought  to  know 
him ;  so  allow  me  to — " 

"  Hold  on,  Phil ;  we  are  to  introduce  ourselves,  you 
know,  and  I  don't  want  to  be  handicapped  by  all  the 
nice  things  you  would  be  certain  to  say  about  me. 
Yes,  I  am  Serge — Serge  Belcof sky,  born  in  Sitka  long 
after  Alaska  became  part  of  the  United  States.  I  went 
to  school  there,  of  course,  but  after  graduating  I  still 
longed  for  a  better  education  than  Sitka  afforded,  so  I 
shipped  aboard  a  homeward  -  bound  whaler  for  New 
London,  Connecticut,  where  I  went  to  school  for  a 


4  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

year.  There  I  met  Phil  Ryder,  who  was  not  only  the 
most  popular  fellow  and  the  best  athlete  in  the  whole 
school,  but  who  became  the  best  friend  I  ever  had.  If 
he  wasn't,  I  should  never  have  given  him  the  fur-seal's 
tooth  which  a  Chilkat  chief  gave  to  my  father.  On 
his  death  my  mother  gave  it  to  me,  and  soon  after  it 
passed  into  Phil's  hands  he  lost  it.  Since  then  it  has 
turned  up  so  many  times,  in  such  mysterious  ways,  and 
has  had  so  much  to  do  with  shaping  our  fortunes,  that 
I  can't  help  believing  at  least  part  of  the  old  tales  con 
cerning  it.  Anyhow,  the  way  it  has  managed  to  fol 
low  us  right  up  to  date  is  certainly  wonderful.  It 
isn't  likely  that  we  shall  see  it  again,  though,  now  that 
the  old  Eskimo  has  got  hold  of  it,  for  he  evidently  real 
izes  its  value. 

"  Where  am  I  now  ?  On  a  river  steamer  bound  for 
Sitka  by  way  of  the  Yukon,  of  course.  You  see,  I 
left  New  London  almost  a  year  ago  and  started  for 
Sitka  on  the  schoonor  Seamew.  At  Victoria,  British 
Columbia,  who  should  I  meet  but  Phil  Ryder,  who  also 
shipped  on  the  Seai/iew.  She  got  to  Sitka,  but  we  didn't, 
and  though  we  seem  to  be  headed  that  way  now, while 
Phil  is  confident  that  we  are  going  straight  there,  no 
one  knows  what  may  happen.  I  hope  my  dear  mother 
isn't  worrying  about  me.  If  I  was  only  sure  of  that, 
and  that  I  should  land  Phil  in  Sitka  some  time,  I  know 
I  should  enjoy  this  trip  immensely.  But,  as  Mr.  Coombs 
says — " 

"  Hold  hard  there,  hearty  !  You  may  allow  that 
I'm  a  thousand  miles  away ;  but  I'm  not.  And  when 
it  comes  to  taking  words  out  of  my  very  mouth,  you'll 
find  that  I'm  right  alongside.  As  my  friend  old  Kite 
Roberson  uster  say, '  A  man  what  can't  speak  up  for 
hisself  hadn't  orter  be  allowed  to  vote.'  My  name  is 
Jalap  Coombs,  half  Yankee  and  half  British  subject, 
late  mate  of  the  /Seamew,  now  acting  cap'n  of  the 


ALLOWED   TO   SPEAK    FOK   THEMSELVES  5 

schooner  Philomeel,  in  which  me  and  Mr.  Ryder  is 
sarching  for  the  slippery  young  chaps  what  has  jest 
now  interdooced  theirselves.  A  while  ago  we  thought 
we  had  'em,  but  things  happened,  and  now  we're  all  at 
sea  again  without  an  idee  of  how  the  wind  '11  blow  next. 
But  as  old  Kite  uster  offen  say,  'When  you  don't  know 
what  to  do,  the  best  thing  is  to  do  nothing.'  That  is 
what  we  are  liable  to  do  for  some  time,  seeing  as  the 
Philomeel  are  hard  and  fast  aground  on  a  mud  bank, 
with  a  nor'  wind  blowing  all  the  water  outer  Norton 
Sound." 

"And  to  think  that  I,  John  Ryder,  after  spending 
the  whole  summer  in  searching  for  my  sou  Phil,  should 
at  length  have  actually  got  within  sight  of  him  away 
up  here  almost  to  the  North  Pole,  only  to  have  the 
young  scamp  sail  away  and  disappear  again,  as  oblivi 
ous  of  my  presence  as  though  I  had  never  existed! 
And  now  this  miserable  accident,  that  puts  an  end  to 
my  following  him  any  farther !  Oh,  it  is  too  bad  !  too 
bad  !  I  did  think  that  all  this  miscarriage  of  plans 
and  getting  lost  and  being  whisked  off  to  all  sorts  of 
out-of-the-way  places  was  purely  accidental,  or  only 
owing  to  the  extraordinary  carelessness  for  which  Phil 
has  always  been  noted.  Now,  however,  I  must  confess 
that  it  really  does  look  as  though  he  were  ready  and 
willing  to  go  in  any  direction  save  towards  Sitka.  I 
can't  conceive  what  inducements  that  trader-fellow  of 
whom  Nikrik  told  us  can  have  offered  to  entice  my 
son  up  the  Yukon  at  this  time  of  the  year.  From  all 
accounts  the  trader  must  be  a  pretty  bad  lot,  and  I 
tremble  to  think  of  what  may  happen  to  my  Phil  un 
der  his  influence.  What  did  Nikrik  say  his  name 
was  ?" 

"Gerald  Hamer  is  my  name,  and  though  I  have 
never  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  John  Ryder, 
from  what  I  have  seen  of  his  son  I  should  judge  him 


6  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

to  be  a  man  well  worth  meeting.  Phil  is  certainly  a 
fine  fellow,  as  well  as  the  best  rifle  shot  I  ever  ran 
across,  and  I  am  more  than  glad  to  have  him  join  my 
expedition.  That  boy  Serge,  too,  is  a  trump,  and  to 
gether  they  make  a  strong  team,  for  while  the  first  is 
impulsive,  careless,  and  inclined  to  carry  things  with  a 
dash,  the  other  is  cool,  steady  as  a  rock,  and  slow  to 
act,  but  certain  to  get  there  in  the  end.  As  for  my 
self,  I  am  leading  an  expedition  up  the  Yukon  with 
the  intention  of  establishing  a  trading-post  at  Forty 
Mile,  a  mining  camp  some  two  thousand  miles  up  the 
river.  I  hope  to  reach  there  in  this  steamer,  the 
Chimo,  before  navigation  closes.  Then  I  expect  to  go 
out  over  the  Chilkoot  Pass  by  snow-shoes  and  sledges, 
and  so  finally  reach  San  Francisco  in  time  to  bring  up 
a  new  stock  of  goods  for  next  summer.  It  is  now  so 
late,  though,  that  I  begin  to  have  my  doubts  as  to 
whether  this  plan  can  be  carried  out,  for  I  fear  we 
shall  be  frozen  in  long  before  reaching  Forty  Mile.  I 
heard  one  of  the  clerks  at  the  Redoubt  bet  that  we 
would  not  reach  Nulato." 

"  Yes,  I,  Simon  Goldollar,  made  that  bet,  and  I  am 
willing  to  repeat  it.  I  hope  they  won't  get  to  Forty 
Mile.  If  they  don't  we'll  head  them  off  yet,  and  teach 
them  that  none  but  the  company  can  trade  on  the 
Yukon.  I  am  one  of  the  company's  most  trusted  clerks, 
and  though  I  only  came  out  last  summer,  I  think  I  see 
a  way  to  winning  promotion  by  breaking  up  the  plans 
of  this  impudent  would-be  trader  in  our  territory,  and 
I  am  going  to  propose  my  scheme  to  the  agent  at 
once.  I  am  the  more  anxious  to  carry  it  out  now  that 
Phil  Ryder,  whom  I  hate,  has  turned  up  again,  and  is 
evidently  some  sort  of  a  partner  in  this  new  concern. 
He  thinks  I  stole  his  money  when  we  crossed  the  con 
tinent  together,  but  I  didn't.  Even  if  I  had  we  would 
now  be  quits,  for  he  has  stolen  the  fur-seal's  tooth  from 


ALLOWED   TO    SPEAK   FOR   THEMSELVES  7 

me.  I  know  where  it  is,  though,  and  I'll  have  it  back 
before  long.  I'll  find  some  chance  to  get  the  best  of 
him,  too,  before  he  leaves  the  Yukon,  and  I'll  give  him 
cause  to  regret  that  he  ever  saw  it  or  Redoubt  St.  Mi 
chaels,  either.  See  if  I  don't." 

"  At  last  I  am  allowed  to  speak,  and  I  must  say  I 
think  I  should  have  been  the  first  to  be  presented,  for 
I  am  the  Fur-seal's  Tooth.  My  origin  is  mysterious, 
the  wonderful  carving  with  which  I  am  covered  is 
unique,  and  of  course  my  ultimate  fate  cannot  be  fore 
told  ;  but  whoever  has  read  of  me  in  the  book  that 
bears  my  name  must  admit  that  I  exert  a  powerful  in 
fluence  over  the  affairs  of  men.  It  is  said  of  me  that 
he  who  gives  me  away  gives  good  luck  with  me.  He 
who  receives  me  as  a  gift  receives  good  luck.  He  who 
loses  me  loses  his  luck,  and  he  who  steals  me  steals 
bad  luck  that  will  cling  to  him  so  long  as  I  am  re 
tained  in  his  possession. 

"Although  I  am  now  in  the  hands  of  a  wretched 
Eskimo,  I  propose  to  leave  him  very  shortly,  to  con 
tinue  my  travels  until  I  reach  my  proper  resting-place, 
and  to  exert  a  very  considerable  influence  upon  the 
forthcoming  story.  If  you  doubt  my  word,  just  bear 
me  in  mind  and  watch  for  my  appearance." 


CHAPTER  II 
A  DANGEROUS  BERTH  OFF  YUKON  MOUTH 

EIGHTY  miles  south  of  Redoubt  St.  Michaels,  the  one 
lonely  trading-station  of  that  bleak  northern  coast,  the 
mighty  Yukon  pours  forth  its  turbid  flood,  discoloring 
the  waters  of  Bering  Sea  for  one  hundred  miles  off 
shore.  In  point  of  size,  as  measured  by  length,  the 
Yukon  ranks  seventeenth  among  the  rivers  of  the 
world  and  fifth  among  those  of  the  United  States,  but 
its  volume  of  water  is  computed  to  be  equal  to  that  of 
the  Mississippi,  while,  like  the  Father  of  Waters,  it 
is  constantly  eating  away  its  own  banks  and  tearing 
them  down,  acres  at  a  time,  along  its  entire  length. 
Thus  it  has  become  a  shoal  stream  of  immense  width, 
crowded  with  islands  and  sand-bars,  on  all  of  which  are 
huge  stacks  of  bleached  driftwood  piled  up  by  spring 
time  floods.  In  the  neighborhood  of  its  fan-like,  many- 
mouthed  delta  the  tawny  giant  has  deposited  its  muddy 
sediment  for  so  many  ages  that  it  has  created  hundreds 
of  square  miles  of  low  swamp  lands,  on  which  only  coarse 
grasses  and  stunted  willows  grow.  In  the  early  sum 
mer  these  vast  swamps  afford  safe  breeding-places  for 
millions  of  swans,  ducks,  and  geese.  Here  also  are 
produced  such  incredible  swarms  of  mosquitoes  that 
neither  human  beings  nor  animals  dare  penetrate  their 
watery  solitudes.  Nor  are  mosquitoes  confined  to  the 
Yukon  delta  ;  but  its  entire  valley  is  so  infested  with 
them  that  summer  is  a  season  to  be  dreaded  by  whites 
and  natives  alike.  Even  the  wild  animals  of  its  forests 


A  DANGEROUS  BERTH  OFF  YUCON  MOUTH      9 

retreat  to  the  snow -clad  mountains,  so  that  there  is 
little  or  no  game  to  be  procured  between  spring  and 
autumn.  The  only  compensation  of  the  season  is  that 
it  brings  the  finest  salmon  of  the  world  into  the  riv 
er  in  such  vast  shoals  that  every  dweller  within  one 
hundred  miles  of  its  banks  may  from  them  lay  in 
his  year's  supply  of  food  by  the  labor  of  a  single 
month. 

In  the  summer,  too,  the  four  or  five  trade-boats — all 
light-draught,  stern- wheeled  steamers  like  the  Chimo — 
that  ply  on  the  river  make  their  annual  trips,  with 
provisions,  goods,  and  an  eight  months'  accumulation 
of  mail,  carrying  joy  to  lonely  mission -stations  and 
trading  -  posts,  native  villages,  and  distant  mining- 
camps.  On  their  return  in  the  fall  they  are  freighted 
with  gold-dust  and  the  spoils  of  the  most  prolific  fur- 
producing  district  now  left  to  the  world. 

These  things  formed  the  principal  topics  of  conver 
sation  in  the  pilot-house  of  the  sturdy  little  Chimo  as, 
aided  by  a  strong  north  wind,  she  swept  down  the  des 
olate  coast  of  Norton  Sound.  The  six-by-seven-foot 
enclosure  was  occupied  by  Gerald  Hamer,  the  stalwart 
leader  of  the  expedition,  by  Phil  and  Serge,  and  by  an 
Eskimo  pilot,  who  had  been  obtained  at  St.  Michaels. 
The  two  boys  were  in  there  for  warmth,  for  the  season 
was  late  September,  which  in  that  latitude  is  very  close 
to  the  beginning  of  winter,  and  the  brisk  north  wind 
held  so  keen  an  edge  that  no  one  remained  on  deck 
unless  forced  to  do  so. 

Gerald  Hamer  was  there  to  watch  his  native  pilot, 
in  whom  he  had  little  confidence.  He  was  also  uneasy 
concerning  his  boat,  which  had  been  put  together  in 
the  greatest  haste  on  the  beach,  just  beyond  the  Re 
doubt,  in  the  face  of  all  possible  annoyance  from  its 
inmates  ;  they  being  devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  al 
ready  established  company,  were  determined  that  no 


10  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

other  trader  should  gain  a  foothold  in  the  country  if 
they  could  prevent  it. 

Being  anxious  to  obtain  the  good- will  of  the  natives 
from  the  outset,  Gerald  Hamer  had  allowed  a  number 
of  them  who  dwelt  in  the  Yukon  delta,  and  were  de 
sirous  of  returning  home,  to  take  passage  on  the  Chimo, 
which  towed  their  walrus-skin  bidarrahs,  or  open  boats, 
behind  her.  These  passengers — men,  women,  and  chil 
dren,  fat,  greasy,  and  happy — made  themselves  per 
fectly  at  home  on  the  lower  or  cargo  deck  of  the 
steamer,  sprawling  over  her  freight,  peering  inquisi 
tively  at  her  engine,  and  revelling  in  the  combined 
odors  of  steam  and  oil  pervading  that  part  of  the  boat. 

Before  half  the  distance  down  the  coast  was  cov 
ered,  mysterious  accidents  began  to  happen  to  the 
machinery.  First  it  came  to  a  stop,  and  the  engineer 
reported  that  something  had  so  seriously  gone  wrong 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  anchor  while  he  made  an 
examination.  To  the  horror  and  dismay  of  all  hands, 
a  gunny  sack  was  found  to  be  stuffed  so  far  into  the 
exhaust  that  the  pipe  had  to  be  taken  apart  before  the 
obstruction  could  be  reached  and  removed.  Not  long 
after  this  danger  was  averted,  one  of  the  pumps  re 
fused  to  work.  It  was  taken  to  pieces,  and  was  found 
to  contain  a  large  nail,  which  must  have  been  recently 
dropped  into  it.  There  was  no  doubt  but  that  these 
things  had  been  done  intentionally ;  and  as  suspicion 
naturally  fell  on  the  native  passengers,  some  of  whom 
were  known  to  be  in  the  employ  of  the  old  company, 
Gerald  Hamer  finally  ordered  them  to  leave  the 
steamer. 

Not  understanding  the  cause  of  this  peremptory  or 
der,  and  being  loath  to  exchange  their  present  comfort 
able  quarters  for  the  open  boats,  the  natives  obeyed  so 
slowly  and  sulkily  that  it  almost  seemed  as  thougli  they 
were  about  to  insist  on  remaining  aboard.  At  length, 


A   DANGEROUS   BERTH    OFF   YUCON   MOUTH  11 

however,  all  were  gone  except  one  woman,  who  held  a 
child  in  her  arms,  and  who  refused  to  leave  the  warm 
corner  of  which  she  had  taken  possession. 

Determined  to  get"  rid  of  her,  and  despairing  of 
moving  her  by  other  means,  Gerald  Hamer  suddenly 
snatched  the  child  from  her  arms,  ran  to  the  open  gang 
way,  and  dropped  it  gently  into  a  bidarrah  that  still 
waited  alongside.  In  an  instant  the  mother  had  fol 
lowed,  and  could  be  seen  as  the  boat  was  shoved  off 
hugging  the  infant  to  her  bosom,  at  the  same  time  dart 
ing  furious  glances  after  the  departing  steamer.  A 
minute  later,  as  though  in  compliance  with  her  evident 
though  unexpressed  wish,  the  Chimo  was  run  hard  and 
fast  aground  on  one  of  the  innumerable  bars  that  so 
jealously  guard  Yukon  mouth.  Her  native  steersman 
had  been  leaning  from  the  pilot-house  door  watching 
the  dismissal  of  his  compatriots,  and  especially  that  of 
his  own  wife  and  baby,  as  the  last  two  put  off  after 
wards  proved  to  be,  instead  of  attending  to  his  duty. 

Phil,  who  remained  in  the  pilot-house,  saw  the  bank 
just  before  the  boat  struck,  and  snatched  the  wheel 
hard  over,  at  the  same  time  signalling  to  stop  and 
back  at  full  speed.  But  it  was  all  too  late,  and  ere  she 
could  be  stopped  the  Chimo  had  slid  half  her  length 
into  the  treacherous  mud.  In  another  minute  the  fleet 
of  bidarrahs  swept  by,  and  from  them  came  mocking 
laughter  mingled  with  derisive  shouts.  One  of  them 
ran  alongside,  and  ere  any  one  on  the  steamer  knew 
what  was  taking  place  the  native  pilot  had  deserted 
his  post,  and  was  being  borne  away  in  triumph  by  his 
fellows. 

"I  only  hope  nothing  worse  will  come  of  it,"  said 
Phil,  anxiously,  when  Gerald  Hamer  finally  rejoined 
him  in  the  pilot-house. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Why,  the  pilot  said  something  about  that  baby 


12  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

having  the  measles,  which  I  understand  have  been 
pretty  bad  on  the  river  this  summer,  and  if  that  is  the 
case  some  of  us  may  have  caught  them." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  there's  no  danger,"  replied  the  captain, 
carelessly,  his  mind  at  that  moment  being  too  fully  oc 
cupied  with  the  condition  of  his  vessel  to  allow  of 
other  thoughts. 

It  was  too  late  to  do  anything  that  evening,  for  the 
short  Northern  day  was  already  merged  in  dusk,  and 
the  next  morning,  though  anchors  were  carried  out 
astern,  they  came  home  through  the  soft  mud  as  if  it 
were  so  much  water  the  moment  a  strain  was  put  on 
them.  Sheer-poles  were  rigged,  and  an  attempt  was 
made  to  pry  the  boat  off  by  means  of  them  ;  but 
again  the  mud  offered  so  little  resistance  that  the  ef 
fort  only  resulted  in  failure.  So,  after  working  like 
beavers  for  hours,  the  Chimo's  crew  resigned  them 
selves  to  waiting  as  patiently  as  might  be  for  a  change 
of  wind  and  higher  water. 

In  this  enforced  delay  three  precious  days  were 
spent,  and  nightfall  of  the  third  found  the  Chimo  still 
outside  Yukon  mouth  instead  of  one  hundred  miles  or 
more  inland,  as  had  been  hoped.  Still,  with  so  ener 
getic  a  leader  as  Gerald  Hamer,  those  three  days  were 
by  no  means  wasted.  He  overhauled  and  restowed 
the  cargo  hurriedly  put  on  board  at  St.  Michaels,  and 
with  the  engineer  made  a  thorough  examination  of 
the  machinery.  He  reorganized  his  slender  crew,  ap 
pointing  Phil  and  Serge  first  and  second  mates,  and 
giving  each  charge  of  a  watch. 

Besides  the  captain,  the  two  mates,  and  the  engineer, 
there  were  three  other  persons  in  the  crew.  Two  of 
them  were  millwrights,  who  were  going  to  Forty  Mile 
to  set  up  the  saw-mill  that  formed  part  of  the  Chimo's 
cargo,  but  who  now  served  as  firemen.  The  third  was 
a  sullen-faced  fellow  named  Strengel,  who  had  been 


THE    NATIVE    PILOT    DESERTS    HIS    POST 


A   DANGEROUS    BERTH    OFF   YUCON   MOUTH  13 

engaged  from  the  steamer  Norsk,  which  brought  the 
expedition  to  St.  Michaels,  to  act  as  assistant  engineer. 
Phil  took  a  dislike  to  this  fellow  from  the  first,  and  it 
was  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  he  seemed  to  have 
contracted  an  intimacy  with  some  of  the  inmates  of 
the  Redoubt,  who  were  avowed  enemies  of  the  expe 
dition. 

Besides  doing  the  things  already  mentioned,  the 
captain  and  his  two  young  mates  took  a  small  boat 
and  staked  out  about  ten  miles  of  the  channel  that  the 
Chimo  would  follow  as  soon  as  she  again  floated. 

On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  the  wind  changed, 
and  as  the  steamer  would  probably  float  during  the 
night  the  captain  ordered  steam  to  be  got  up  and 
everything  made  ready  for  a  start  at  daylight.  He 
turned  in  early,  complaining  of  great  weariness  and 
many  pains,  which  he  attributed  to  the  cold  and  the 
frequent  drenchings  that  had  accompanied  his  sound 
ing  of  the  channel. 

The  following  morning,  when  Phil  went  to  report 
that  the  steamer  was  afloat,  and  also  to  make  a  grave 
charge  against  Assistant  Engineer  Strengel,  he  was  hor 
rified  to  find  the  captain  raving  in  the  delirium  of  a 
high  fever.  Thus  to  his  intense  dismay  the  young 
mate  suddenly  found  himself  burdened  with  the  entire 
responsibility  of  the  expedition,  with  both  a  mutiny 
and  a  very  sick  man  on  his  hands,  in  an  unfriendly 
country,  and  about  to  be  confronted  with  the  terrors 
of  an  arctic  winter. 


CHAPTER  III 
MEASLES    AND   MUTINY 

As  Phil  realized  the  full  gravity  of  the  situation  he 
instinctively  shrank  from  assuming  the  responsibility 
so  unexpectedly  thrust  upon  him.  One  of  his  aunt 
Ruth's  long-ago  stories  of  a  poor  little  bear  who  found 
himself  alone  in  the  great  big  world  with  all  his 
troubles  before  him  flashed  into  the  boy's  mind,  and 
he  said  to  himself,  "This  little  bear's  troubles  have 
met  him,  sure  enough,  and  in  full  force." 

But  why  should  he  assume  this  responsibility  ?  This 
was  not  his  expedition,  and  he  had  no  interest  in  it 
save  that  of  a  passenger.  It  did  not  seem  at  all  likely 
that  it  could  succeed  now,  and  as  they  must  apparently 
return  to  St.  Michaels  sooner  or  later,  why  not  do  so 
at  once,  and  get  out  of  this  scrape  the  easiest  way  pos 
sible.  Or  why  not  turn  the  whole  business  over  to 
Mr.  Sims,  the  engineer,  who  was  well  paid  for  his 
work,  and  who  was  supposed  to  have  counted  the  cost 
of  failure  as  well  as  of  success.  Yes,  that  was  the 
thing  to  do :  shift  the  responsibility  to  Mr.  Sims,  who 
was  paid  for  assuming  such  duties. 

But  hold  on,  Phil  Ryder  !  Have  you  not  also  been 
paid,  at  the  very  highest  rate  too,  by  the  man  who 
now  lies  so  helpless  before  you,  and  whose  fortunes 
are  in  your  hands?  Did  he  not  rescue  you  from  a 
certain  death  out  there  in  those  cold,  cruel  waters, 
when  your  bidarkie  was  on  the  point  of  foundering  ? 
Did  you  not  gladly  accept  his  offer  to  accompany  him 


MEASLES    AND   MUTINY  15 

on  this  trip  when  all  appeared  smooth  sailing?  Have 
you  not  been  fed  and  clothed  at  his  expense  ?  Abov,e 
all,  has  he  not  proved  his  confidence  in  you  by  appoint 
ing  you  to  a  position  of  trust?  Are  such  things  as 
gratitude  and  loyalty  unknown  to  you?  You  were 
proud  to  be  called  first  mate  yesterday,  and  now  you 
shrink  from  performing  the  first  and  most  evident 
duty  of  the  office.  You  owe  everything  to  Gerald 
Hamer,  and  yet  you  would  intrust  his  fortunes  to  a 
man  whom  you  know  to  be  a  drunkard  whenever  liq 
uor  is  within  his  reach,  and  on  whose  movements  the 
captain  bade  you  keep  a  close  watch.  Shame  on  you, 
Phil  Ryder  !  What  would  Serge  say  if  you  should  do 
this  cowardly  thing  ?  Would  you  ever  dare  face  his 
honest  gaze  again  ? 

These  thoughts,  which  flashed  through  Phil's  mind 
in  a  few  seconds,  stung  him  as  though  they  had  been 
so  many  clearly  uttered  words.  The  hot  blood  rushed 
to  his  cheeks,  and  with  a  very  determined  look  on  his 
face  the  lad  walked  forward.  He  found  Serge  in 
the  pilot-house,  and  at  once  laid  the  situation  before 
him.  In  conclusion,  he  said : 

"  We  must  make  some  move  at  once,  for  this  wester 
ly  wind  is  kicking  up  such  a  sea  that  our  anchors 
won't  hold  much  longer.  It  would  be  even  more  dan 
gerous  to  attempt  a  return  to  St.  Michaels  than  to  lie 
here.  Besides  that,  to  place  ourselves  at  the  mercy  of 
our  enemies  for  the  winter  would  mean  the  utter  ruin 
of  the  expedition  and  the  loss  to  Gerald  Hamer  of 
every  cent  he  has  in  the  world.  So,  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  as  the  present  command  of  this  craft  seems 
to  devolve  on  me,  I  propose  to  continue  on  our  course, 
get  rid  of  that  fellow  Strengel  at  the  first  opportunity, 
and  push  on  up  the  river  until  our  farther  progress  is 
barred  by  ice,  or  until  we  discover  a  good  place  in 
which  to  lay  the  boat  up  for  the  winter.  We  must 


16  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

surely  find  white  men  somewhere  who  will  help  us, 
too." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Serge,  "  we  are  certain  to  if  we  can 
only  get  as  far  as  the  Anvik  Mission.  At  any  rate, 
Phil,  what  you  propose  to  do  is  exactly  the  right  thing, 
and  you  can  count  on  me  to  back  you  up  to  the  last 
gasp." 

"  I  knew  I  could,  old  man,"  replied  Phil,  warmly. 
"Now  let's  go  below  and  make  ready  to  start." 

Calling  on  the  two  millwrights  to  follow  them,  Phil 
and  Serge  made  their  way  to  the  engine-room,  where 
they  found  the  engineer  just  rousing  from  a  heavy 
sleep,  which  Phil  strongly  suspected  had  been  aided 
by  liquor. 

"  Mr.  Sims,"  said  he,  "  what  would  be  the  effect  if  a 
cylinder-head  should  blow  out  under  a  full  head  of 
steam  ?" 

"The  effect?"  replied  the  engineer,  slowly,  and  evi 
dently  surprised  at  the  question.  "  Why,  any  one  who 
happened  to  be  in  range  would  be  killed,  all  in  this 
part  of  the  boat  would  be  more  or  less  scalded,  and 
the  chances  are  that  this  expedition  would  come  to  a 
very  sudden  termination." 

"  Of  course  yours  is  all  right  ?" 

"  Certainly  ;  I  examined  it  only  yesterday,"  replied 
the  engineer,  testily.  "  Now,  if  you  are  through  with 
your  foolish  questions,  it  seems  to  me  you'd  better  noti 
fy  the  captain  that  everything  is  ready  for  a  start.  I 
don't  want  to  waste  steam  by  blowing  off,  and  there's 
more  on  now  than  we  ought  to  carry." 

"  Would  you  mind  stepping  this  way  a  moment  ?" 
asked  Phil,  taking  the  engine-room  lantern  and  hold 
ing  it  back  of  the  cylinder. 

Moved  by  curiosity  as  to  what  the  young  seal-hunter 
could  be  up  to,  the  engineer  stepped  forward,  gave 
one  look,  and  uttered  a  cry  of  horror.  More  than  half 


MEASLES   AND   MUTINY  17 

the  bolts  holding  the  massive  cylinder  -  head  in  place 
had  been  loosened. 

"  Upon  my  honor,  I  knew  nothing  of  this  thing,  Mr. 
Ryder,"  he  gasped. 

"  Of  course  you  didn't,"  answered  Phil,  grimly ; 
"  for  it  was  done  while  you  were  sleeping  off  the  ef 
fect  of  those  brandied  peaches.  Where  is  Strengel  ?" 

"  He  is  aft  somewhere.  But  surely,  Mr.  Ryder,  you 
don't  suspect  him  of  this  dastardly  act  ?" 

"  Go  and  tell  him  to  come  here,"  ordered  Phil,  turn 
ing  to  one  of  the  millwrights. 

In  a  moment  the  man  returned,  and  reported  that 
Strengel  claimed  to  be  too  busy  to  come  just  then. 

With  an  expressive  glance  at  his  friend,  Phil  left  the 
engine-room,  and  Serge  followed  him.  A  minute  later, 
in  the  resistless  grasp  of  the  two  athletic  young  fel 
lows,  Mr.  Strengel  was  being  rushed  along  the  deck  so 
rapidly  as  to  suggest  that  he  had  very  imperative  busi 
ness  in  the  engine-room. 

"Here,  gentlemen,  is  the  man  who  did  that  thing !" 
cried  Phil,  as  he  gave  the  breathless  and  trembling 
wretch  a  shove  that  landed  him  in  a  corner. 

"  So  help  me,  Mr.  Ryder —  "  he  began,  abjectly. 

"  Shut  up !"  shouted  Phil,  "and  don't  you  dare  speak 
again  until  you  are  spoken  to.  There  is  no  doubt  of 
his  guilt,  gentlemen,  for  I  saw  him  loosening  those 
bolts  as  plainly  as  I  see  him  now,  when  I  came  down 
here  awhile  ago  to  make  ready  for  starting.  He  did 
not  see  me,  for  I  was  in  darkness,  while  he  worked  by 
lantern  -  light.  So  I  watched  him  for  a  full  minute 
while  he  prepared  this  death  -  trap  for  the  rest  of  us. 
No  wonder  he  has  sought  the  most  distant  and  safest 
part  of  the  ship  ever  since. 

"  Moreover,  it  is  this  man  who,  on  two  previous  oc 
casions,  has  attempted  to  cripple  our  machinery.  He 
is  employed  by  the  old  company  to  injure  and  delay 


18  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

this  expedition  by  every  possible  means.  From  the 
evidence  before  us  it  looks  as  though  he  would  not  hes 
itate  to  commit  murder  to  accomplish  his  designs. 
Now,  gentlemen,  what,  in  your  opinion,  ought  to  be 
done  with  such  a  bit  of  scum?" 

"Shoot  him!  Throw  him  overboard!"  suggested 
two  of  the  little  group  in  a  breath,  while  Serge  said 
nothing,  but  tightened  his  clutch  of  the  prisoner's  col 
lar  ominously. 

"Turn  him  over  to  the  captain,"  said  the  engineer; 
"he'll  settle  the  case  in  a  hurry." 

"  That  is  what  I  started  to  do,  and  what  I  am  afraid 
of,"  replied  Phil.  "  The  captain  has  sworn  to  shoot  on 
sight  the  first  man  he  catches  tampering  with  the  ma 
chinery  of  this  boat,  and  I  don't  believe  he'd  hesitate 
a  moment  before  doing  it,  either.  At  the  same  time, 
gentlemen,  we  don't  want  to  have  any  bloodshed  on 
the  Chimo  if  we  can  help  it.  It  would  not  only  give 
her  a  bad  name  and  injure  our  prospects  on  the  river, 
but  would  furnish  us  with  a  cause  of  regret  for  the 
rest  of  our  lives.  So  I  thought  I  would  ask  your  opin 
ion  before  reporting  this  affair  to  the  captain. 

"  My  plan  would  be  to  get  under  way  as  quietly  as 
possible,  which  the  captain  ordered  me  to  do  anyway, 
if  we  were  afloat  at  daylight,  and  run  over  to  the  Pas- 
tolik  wood -yard.  There  we'll  give  the  scoundrel  a 
chance  to  slip  ashore  and  hide  himself.  He'll  be  picked 
up  fast  enough  by  the  natives  who  own  the  yard.  We 
won't  make  any  stop  there,  but  will  run  on  up  our 
staked  channel  and  be  out  of  sight  before  anything  is 
said  to  the  captain.  Thus  we  shall  get  rid  of  our 
murderer  without  having  his  blood  on  our  hands,  and 
at  the  same  time  leave  him  where  there  won't  be  the 
slightest  chance  of  his  troubling  us  any  more.  In  fact, 
I'm  inclined  to  think  that  if  he  once  gets  safely  out  of 
this  boat,  he'll  be  wise  enough  never  to  come  near  her 


MEASLES   AND   MUTINY  19 

again.  I  shall  be  sorry  for  him  if  he  does,  that's 
all." 

After  some  discussion,  during  which  the  wretched 
prisoner  watched  the  faces  of  his  judges  with  painful 
eagerness,  this  plan  was  accepted.  Under  strictest 
supervision  of  the  engineer,  Strengel  was  made  to  re 
pair  his  own  mischief.  Then  with  Serge  to  keep  care 
ful  watch  of  affairs  on  the  lower  deck,  and  with  Phil 
at  the  wheel,  the  Chimo  steamed  away  from  the  place 
of  her  long  detention.  As  she  neared  the  Pastolik 
wood-yard  Strengel  was  not  only  ready  to  leap  ashore 
at  the  first  opportunity,  but  he  was  warned  by  the  an 
gry  mutterings  of  those  about  him  that  to  remain  on 
board  a  moment  longer  than  was  necessary  would  place 
his  life  in  imminent  jeopardy. 

So,  as  the  steamer  rubbed  against  the  bank,  he  made 
a  leap  ;  his  bag  was  flung  after  him,  and,  without  hav 
ing  come  to  a  full  stop,  the  Chimo  moved  on,  Phil 
ringing  the  jingle-bell  for  full  speed  the  moment  it 
was  safe  to  do  so. 

It  is  hard  to  say  which  was  the  more  pleased  at  this 
successful  termination  of  the  affair :  Phil  to  be  so  easily 
rid  of  a  dangerous  member  of  his  crew,  or  the  wretch 
who  had  so  easily  escaped  a  well-merited  punishment. 

As  soon  as  the  steamer  again  reached  the  staked 
channel,  Phil  resigned  the  wheel  to  Serge,  and,  calling 
on  the  two  millwrights  to  aid  him,  removed  the  strick 
en  captain  to  the  lower  deck.  There  a  bed  had  been 
prepared  for  him  in  a  warm  corner,  near  the  boiler, 
which  was  carefully  curtained  by  tarpaulins  against 
any  draught  of  cold  air.  Although  the  young  mate 
had  but  slight  knowledge  of  sickness,  and  was  still  un 
certain  as  to  the  nature  of  Gerald  Hamer's  illness,  he 
knew  that  warmth  would  do  his  patient  no  harm,  and 
that  in  a  case  of  measles  it  was  necessary  to  a  success 
ful  treatment  of  the  disease. 


CHAPTER  IV 
PHIL   ASSUMES    COMMAND   AND  ASSERTS   HIS    AUTHORITY 

THERE  was  much  alarm  among  the  scanty  crew  of 
the  Chimo  when  the  pitiable  state  of  their  leader  was 
discovered,  and  the  engineer  was  especially  loud  in  his 
protests  against  attempting  to  continue  the  voyage 
under  such  discouraging  conditions.  He  declared  that 
none  but  madmen  would  think  of  doing  such  a  thing, 
and  that  unless  they  immediately  returned  to  St.  Mi 
chaels  they  would  all  perish  in  that  wilderness  of  icy 
water  and  frozen  mud.  At  first  the  millwrights,  who 
had  heretofore  had  no  experience  in  rough  travel,  were 
inclined  to  agree  with  him  ;  but  Phil  stated  his  view 
of  the  situation  so  clearly,  and  was  so  sturdily  sup 
ported  by  Serge,  that  they  were  finally  won  over  to 
his  way  of  thinking.  So  the  discontented  engineer 
was  forced  to  yield  to  the  wishes  of  the  majority. 

Five  miles  from  Pastolik  they  stopped  at  the  Eski 
mo  village  of  Coatlik  for  a  supply  of  wood,  and  here 
Serge,  with  his  ability  to  speak  Russian,  proved  inval 
uable.  Not  only  did  he  conduct  the  wood  negotia 
tions,  but  he  succeeded  in  purchasing  a  number  of 
freshly  killed  wild-geese,  which  were  at  that  time  fly 
ing  southward  in  vast  flocks.  Above  all,  he  secured  a 
native  pilot,  who  promised  to  go  with  them  until  they 
met  running  ice. 

Nor  did  the  services  of  the  young  Russo- American 
diminish  one  whit  in  value  after  Coatlik  was  left  be 
hind.  He  alone  knew  how  to  prepare  the  broths 


PHIL   ASSUMES    COMMAND  21 

which  formed  the  sole  nourishment  that  the  sick  man 
was  able  to  take.  He  only  could  converse  with  the 
native  pilot,  and  learn  from  him  the  mysteries  of  the 
mighty  river.  He  it  was  who  was  always  cheerful, 
and  could  swing  the  lustiest  axe,  when,  as  often  hap 
pened,  they  were  obliged  to  renew  their  supply  of  fuel 
from  chance  drift  piles;  and  it  was  he  who  must  at 
tend  the  sick  man  at  night,  because  the  faintest  mur 
mur  served  to  wake  him.  So  Serge  was  the  very  life 
of  that  dreary  voyage,  and  but  for  him  Phil  knew  it 
must  have  been  abandoned  long  before  they  reached 
the  haven  for  which  they  were  steering. 

And  it  was  a  dreary  voyage.  Day  after  day  wit 
nessed  the  same  monotony  of  turbid  waters,  so  wide 
spread  that  one  bank  was  often  invisible  from  the 
other,  and  a  deadly  level  of  drowned  lands  bounded 
only  by  the  low,  far-away  horizon.  Day  after  day 
brought  the  same  gray  skies,  chill  winds,  rain  squalls, 
and  flurries  of  snow.  Every  night  saw  heavy  frosts, 
and  it  grew  hourly  more  apparent  that  the  stern  reign 
of  winter  was  close  at  hand. 

At  long  intervals  lonely  groups  of  sod-covered  huts 
gave  sign  that  human  beings  dwelt  even  in  those  un 
lovely  wastes,  but  save  for  fuel  the  young  command 
er  of  the  Chimo  would  not  pause  to  make  their  ac 
quaintance.  From  earliest  dawn  until  dusk  he  forced 
the  little  craft  at  full  speed  against  the  swift  current, 
often  grounding  on  sand-bars  in  spite  of  the  native  pilot, 
whose  only  knowledge  was  of  the  best  channel  but  not 
of  its  obstructions. 

After  two  days  they  began  to  see  low  hills  on  the 
north,  and  on  this  side  the  river-bank  became  notice 
ably  higher.  Although  this  was  encouraging,  it  pro 
duced  but  slight  impression  on  the  spirits  of  the  de 
pressed  crew,  whose  situation  was  indeed  becoming 
alarming.  They  were  worn  out  with  anxiety,  over- 


22  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

work,  and  insufficient  food,  for  they  had  neither  the 
time  nor  inclination  to  do  any  cooking  except  for  the 
sick.  The  captain  lay  in  a  state  of  semi  -  stupor,  and 
another  cot  within  the  same  enclosure  held  one  of  the 
millwrights,  who  had  been  stricken  with  the  dread  dis 
ease  twenty-four  hours  later. 

By  the  end  of  the  first  week  in  October  they  were 
some  two  hundred  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
with  nearly  one  hundred  yet  to  go  before  they  could 
reach  Anvik,  to  gain  which  Phil  was  directing  all  his 
energies.  He  knew  not  what  they  would  find  there  ; 
but  he  had  an  intuition  that  help  of  some  kind  awaited 
them  at  that  point.  At  any  rate,  he  was  determined 
to  reach  it  somehow. 

On  the  7th  of  October  ice  began  to  run  in  the  river, 
and  with  its  first  appearance  the  native  pilot  insisted 
upon  starting  back  towards  his  now  distant  home. 
That  night,  amid  the  bowlings  of  a  tempest  that  threat 
ened  to  tear  the  Chimo  from  her  anchorage,  the 
stricken  millwright  died. 

When  Phil  went  to  the  engineer's  room  to  report 
this  distressing  news  he  was  filled  with  wrath  to 
find  that  individual  lying  in  his  bunk  and  indulging 
to  excess  in  the  contents  of  a  case  of  brandied  peaches 
that  he  had  stolen  from  the  cargo. 

Without  a  word  Phil  picked  up  the  case  and  flung 
it  into  the  river.  "I'll  see  you  again  in  the  morn 
ing,  sir,  when  you  are  sober,"  he  said,  as  he  left  the 
room,  and,  locking  the  door,  put  the  key  in  his  own 
pocket. 

That  night  of  storm,  death,  and  despair  was  one 
that  neither  Phil  nor  Serge  will  ever  forget.  For  long 
hours  they  sat  by  the  bedside  of  the  captain,  whom 
they  believed  to  be  sleeping,  discussing  in  low  tones 
their  melancholy  situation. 

Suddenly  they  were  startled  by  a  voice  from  the 


PHIL   ASSUMES   COMMAND  23 

sick  man,  who  said,  feebly,  "  Get  me  to  Anvik,  boys,  if 
you  can,  and  you  will  save  my  life." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  spoken  rationally  for 
several  days,  and  they  had  no  idea  that  he  was  even 
conscious  of  their  presence;  but  Phil  answered, 
promptly,  "  All  right,  captain  ;  we'll  get  you  there, 
never  fear." 

"  Yes,"  added  Serge,  cheerily,  "  you  may  rest  easy, 
sir,  for  when  Phil  uses  that  tone  he  means  just  what 
he  says,  and  I  know  that  I've  got  to  back  him  up." 

Neither  of  the  lads  got  more  than  an  hour's  sleep 
that  night,  and  long  before  daylight  they  were  again 
at  work.  Phil  and  the  surviving  millwright  were  get 
ting  up  steam,  while  Serge  was  taking  unusual  pains 
in  preparing  breakfast,  for  they  all  realized  that  they 
must  now  lay  in  an  extra  supply  of  strength. 

Not  until  breakfast  was  ready  was  Mr.  Sims  released 
from  the  confinement  of  his  room.  After  eating  his 
meal  in  sullen  silence  he  said  to  Phil,  "  Well,  young 
man,  what  do  you  propose  to  do  to-day  ?" 

"I  propose  to  push  on  up  the  river  as  usual." 

"  And  who  are  you  going  to  get  to  run  your  en 
gine?" 

"I  expect  you  to  do  it,  sir." 

"Well,  you  are  expecting  a  good  deal  more  than 
you'll  get,"  cried  the  man,  rising  from  the  table  in  his 
excitement.  "  I've  been  bullied  by  a  parcel  of  boys 
just  as  long  as  I  intend  to  be  ;  so  now  I  want  you  to 
understand  that  I'll  not  allow  the  engine  of  this  boat 
to  make  another  turn  except  to  run  her  into  winter- 
quarters,  and  that's  got  to  be  done  in  a  hurry,  too." 

"  That's  exactly  what  I  mean  to  do  with  her,"  replied 
Phil,  quietly. 

"  Where  ?" 

"  At  Anvik,  less  than  one  hundred  miles  from  here." 

" Hundred  nothing  !"  screamed  the  man.     "You'll 


24  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

put  her  in  winter-quarters  within  ten  miles  of  this  very 
spot  or  not  at  all ;  for  you  can't  run  the  engine,  and 
you  haven't  got  a  man  aboard  except  me  who  can,  and 
you  know  it." 

The  furious  man  had  stepped  towards  Phil,  and  was 
shaking  a  trembling  fist  in  the  lad's  face  as  he  shouted 
these  last  words.  Serge  stood  close  behind  him. 

Just  then  the  young  mate  nodded  his  head ;  both 
lads  sprang  upon  the  man  at  once,  and  in  spite  of  his 
fierce  struggles  bore  him  to  the  deck.  In  another 
moment  he  was  securely  and  helplessly  bound. 

"  How  do  we  generally  dispose  of  mutineers  aboard 
this  ship  ?"  asked  Phil,  as  he  regained  his  feet. 

"  Set  'em  ashore,  sir,  and  leave  'em  to  shift  for  them 
selves,"  answered  Serge,  grimly. 

"  Very  well ;  and  as  we  haven't  any  time  to  lose,  you 
may  get  the  dingey  overboard  at  once.  Call  Isaac  to 
help  you,  and  tell  him  the  reason  for  this  extra  work." 

"  You  don't  dare  do  it,"  muttered  the  prostrate  man, 
as  Serge  started  to  obey  this  order. 

"Don't  I?"  queried  Phil.  "If  you  think  so  you 
must  be  ignorant  of  what  constitutes  a  mutiny,  as 
well  as  of  the  powers  vested  in  the  captain  of  a  ship." 

"  But  you  aren't  the  captain  of  this  ship." 

"  Perhaps  I'm  not.  At  the  same  time  I  am  acting 
as  captain  by  authority  of  the  owner,  and  I  am  per 
forming  all  of  a  captain's  duties;  all  of  them,  you 
understand." 

By  this  time  the  small  boat  was  alongside,  and 
leaving  the  bewildered  millwright  in  her,  Serge  re 
gained  the  deck,  where  he  awaited  further  instruc 
tions. 

"  Select  such  of  your  belongings  as  you  wish  to  take 
with  you,  and  they  shall  be  put  into  the  boat,"  said 
Phil. 

"  Oh,  rats  !"  cried  the  man,  angrily. 


PHIL   ASSUMES   COMMAND  25 

"  Take  hold  of  him  !"  ordered  the  mate. 

Serge  obeyed,  and  in  another  minute  the  mutinous 
engineer  found  himself  in  the  small  boat,  which  was 
actually  being  shoved  off. 

"Shall  I  hunt  a  native  village  to  leave  him  at?" 
asked  Serge. 

"  No.  We  haven't  time  for  that.  Land  him  wher 
ever  it  happens." 

"  Look  here,  boys,"  said  the  man,  humbly,  as  he  cast 
a  shuddering  glance  over  the  icy  waters  and  at  the 
bleak  desolation  of  the  shore  beyond.  "I  weaken. 
Take  me  back,  and  I'll  go  to  work." 

"  Will  you  run  the  engine  as  far  as  Anvik  ?" 

"  I'll  run  her  till  you  give  the  word  to  stop." 

"And  promise  on  your  honor  not  to  touch  another 
drop  of  liquor  before  this  steamer  is  laid  up  in  winter- 
quarters  ?" 

"Yes." 

So  that  was  the  end  of  the  mutiny,  and  once  more 
the  Chimo  held  her  way  up  the  great  river,  whose 
swift  current  was  now  covered  with  floating  ice  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 

Late  that  afternoon  a  new  bewilderment  confronted 
the  anxious  lads.  They  were  involved  in  a  labyrinth 
of  channels,  all  of  about  the  same  width,  and  appar 
ently  pouring  forth  equal  volumes  of  water.  But 
while  they  all  looked  equally  inviting,  only  one  was 
that  of  the  main  river  ;  the  others  were  mouths  of  the 
great  Shagelook  slough,  which  would  lead  them  into 
an  unknown  wilderness.  One  meant  safety  and  the 
others  disaster.  But  which  was  which  ? 

In  this  dilemma  Phil  decided  to  anchor  and  wait  for 
another  daylight.  While  they  thus  waited — wearied, 
anxious,  and  wellnigh  despairing — there  came  a  shout 
from  out  of  the  darkness  that  thrilled  them  with  a  new 
life,  for  the  words  were  in  their  own  tongue. 


26  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

"  Steamer  ahoy!  ahoy!  Hello  on  board  the  steamer!" 
rang  cheerily  from  off  the  dark  waters. 

"  Hello  !  hello  !  Come  this  way  !"  answered  Phil 
from  the  pilot-house. 


CHAPTER  V 
A   PABSON    AT   THE   WHEEL 

PHIL  had  been  sitting  alone  in  the  pilot-house,  where, 
in  the  chill  darkness,  the  weight  of  his  responsibility 
seemed  almost  too  great  to  be  borne.  He  had  held 
out  bravely  until  this  moment,  but  now  it  seemed  as 
though  a  great  black  wall  of  difficulty  were  reared 
against  him,  and  that  it  was  gradually  enclosing  him 
on  all  sides.  The  many  channels  revealed  by  the  wan 
ing  light  of  that  day  must  all  be  explored  ere  the  right 
one  could  be  determined.  Phil  dared  not  consider 
how  many  days  might  thus  be  spent,  for  he  knew  he 
had  no  days  nor  even  hours  to  spare. 

At  any  moment  now  the  river  might  close,  and  once 
caught  in  the  relentless  fetters  of  its  ice  the  Chimo 
must  remain  motionless  until  crushed  and  swept  away 
by  the  resistless  fury  of  the  spring  floods.  In  the 
meantime  what  would  become  of  her  little  company, 
stranded  there  in  the  open  river,  exposed  to  the  full 
fury  of  arctic  blasts,  remote  from  human  habitation, 
and  equally  so  from  any  visible  supply  of  fuel  ?  They 
had  not  even  the  fur  clothing  without  which  none  may 
spend  a  winter  in  that  region. 

To  be  sure,  as  soon  as  the  ice  would  bear  them  they 
might  make  their  way  to  some  wretched  native  village, 
and  there  drag  out  a  miserable  existence  during  the  long 
winter  months.  Even  in  that  sorry  retreat  there  could 
be  no  hope  for  Gerald  Hamer,  who  must  either  be  left 
behind  to  perish,  or  taken  with  them  to  meet  an  equally 


28  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

certain  fate  from  exposure.  As  poor  Phil  reflected 
on  these  things  he  asked  himself  why  he  had  so  obsti 
nately  forced  the  expedition  farther  and  farther  into 
the  wilderness,  day  after  day,  until  he  had  at  length 
brought  it  to  this  danger  point.  Why  had  he  not 
laid  the  boat  up  in  the  first  winter  harbor  that  offered  ? 
He  could  remember  that  they  had  passed  several  very 
good  ones,  some  of  which  were  in  the  vicinity  of 
Eskimo  villages. 

Why?  Because  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  reach 
Anvik,  and  declared  his  intention  of  doing  so,  and  his 
Yankee  grit  was  not  of  the  kind  to  be  daunted  by 
obstacles  nor  turned  back  by  them  from  an  uncom 
pleted  duty.  Why  ?  Because  he  had  promised  Cap 
tain  Hamer  to  carry  him  to  Anvik.  Phil  Ryder  did 
did  not  often  make  promises,  being  opposed  to  them 
on  general  principles,  but  when  he  did  make  one  he 
kept  it.  Why  ?  Because  while  he  was  thus  thinking, 
that  cheery  voice  came  ringing  out  of  the  darkness, 
bringing  with  it  such  a  thrill  of  hope  and  relief  that 
just  to  hear  it  was  worth  all  the  toil  and  anxiety  ex 
pended  in  reaching  that  point. 

Serge  was  down  in  the  galley  cooking  supper,  and 
whistling  a  melancholy  little  tune,  that  tried  its  best 
to  sound  cheerful  as  he  did  so.  Poor  Isaac,  the  mill 
wright,  homesick,  grief-stricken,  and  despairing,  was 
working  by  lantern-light  on  a  rude  coffin  for  his  dead 
comrade.  Mr.  Sims,  morose  and  silent,  was  busy  with 
his  machinery,  while  Gerald  Hamer  tossed  wearily  but 
weakly  beneath  the  piled-up  coverings  of  his  narrow 
bed. 

All  heard  the  first  shout  of  that  unknown  voice,  and 
each  suspended  operations  to  listen.  When  it  came 
again,  and  they  heard  Phil's  answering  hail,  all  rushed 
to  the  gangway  on  that  side,  that  is,  all  except  the 
sick  man,  and  there,  holding  flashing  lanterns  to  guide 


A   PARSON   AT   THE    WHEEL  29 

him,  they  excitedly  awaited  the  approach  of  the  un 
known. 

While  they  peered  vaguely  into  the  gloom,  listen 
ing  for  the  slatting  of  sails  or  the  rattle  of  oars,  he 
suddenly  swept  alongside,  seated  in  an  Eskimo  kyak 
or  skin  boat,  very  similar  to  the  one  in  which  Phil  and 
Serge  had  made  their  perilous  voyage  on  Bering  Sea 
a  month  before,  only  much  smaller. 

They  could  see  that  he  was  a  white  man,  wearing  a 
thick,  close-cut  brown  beard ;  but  otherwise  he  might 
easily  have  been  mistaken  for  a  native,  so  completely 
was  he  enveloped  in  a  kamleika.  The  hood  of  this 
was  drawn  over  his  head,  while  its  ample  skirts  were 
fastened  to  the  coaming  of  the  hatch  in  which  he  sat, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  water. 

"Well,  if  this  isn't  a  bit  of  good-fortune,  then  I 
don't  know  what  good-fortune  is!"  he  exclaimed,  smil 
ing  up  at  the  eager  faces  peering  at  him  from  the 
steamer's  side.  "  May  I  come  aboard  ?" 

"  May  you  come  aboard  ?"  cried  Phil.  "  Well,  sir, 
I  rather  think  you  may,  for  even  if  you  didn't  want 
to,  I  am  afraid  we  should  capture  you  and  drag  you  on 
board  by  force.  Why,  we  couldn't  be  more  delighted 
to  see  you  if  you  were  the  President  of  the  United 
States  himself." 

"  I  doubt  if  you  can  be  half  as  happy  to  see  me  as  I 
am  to  meet  with  you  thus  fortunately  and  unexpected 
ly,"  laughed  the  stranger. 

"In  that  case,"  replied  Phil,  "you  must  be  the  very 
happiest  person  in  the  world,  for  you  have  made  me 
almost  that." 

During  this  interchange  of  courtesies  the  stranger 
had  been  unlashing  his  kamleika,  and  now,  stepping 
lightly  from  his  fragile  craft,  he  gained  the  deck,  to 
which  his  kyak  was  also  lifted. 

"Ah!  but  this  is  cosey  and  comfortable,"  he  remarked, 


30  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

as  he  entered  the  well-lighted  mess-room,  which  opened 
from  the  galley  and  was  warmed  by  its  glowing  stove. 
Serge  had  just  finished  his  preparations  for  supper,  and 
the  well-laden  mess-table  did  indeed  present  a  sight 
calculated  to  cheer  the  heart  of  a  hungry  man,  espe 
cially  one  who  had  been  for  hours  battling  with  the 
ice  of  an  Alaskan  river. 

"You  gentlemen  seem  to  be  travelling  and  living 
like  princes,"  continued  the  stranger;  "  but  I  must 
confess  to  considerable  surprise  at  finding  you  on  the 
river  so  late  in  the  season.  You  are  bound  down  and 
out,  I  presume  ?" 

"  No,  sir,"  answered  Phil,  "  we  are  bound  up  the 
river,  and  hope  to  reach  Anvik  before  it  closes." 

"  Anvik !"  cried  the  stranger.  "  Why,  that  is  the 
place  to  which  I  also  am  going." 

"  Alone,  at  night,  and  in  a  bidarkie  ?"  asked  Phil,  in 
credulously. 

"  Yes,"  laughed  the  other,  "  though  I  was  only  try 
ing  to  cross  the  river  to-night  for  fear  it  might  close 
before  morning,  and  leave  me  stranded  on  the  farther 
bank.  It  was  a  reckless  thing  to  undertake,  I  acknowl 
edge,  and  but  for  your  timely  presence  I  might  have 
come  to  serious  grief  ere  this.  It  had  grown  so  dark 
before  I  sighted  your  lights  that  I  could  no  longer 
avoid  the  floating  ice,  and  was  in  great  fear  that  my 
boat  would  be  cut  open.  You  may  believe,  then,  that 
I  was  glad  to  see  them.  Now,  to  find  myself  seated 
among  those  of  my  own  race,  and  at  a  civilized  table 
after  a  rather  trying  experience  of  Eskimo  hospitality, 
caps  the  climax  and  renders  my  content  complete." 

"  Are  you  on  a  hunting  or  fishing  trip,  sir  ?"  asked 
Phil,  anxious  to  establish  the  status  of  this  new  ac 
quaintance. 

"  Neither,  just  now,"  was  the  laconic  answer. 

"Trading,  perhaps?" 


A    PARSON   AT   THE   WHEEL  31 

"  Not  exactly." 

"Travelling  for  pleasure?" 

"  Yes,  so  far  as  it  is  a  pleasure  to  do  my  work." 

"  Prospecting  ?" 

"  For  some  things,  though  not  for  gold." 

"  In  government  employ  ?" 

«  No." 

"  Working  for  the  company,  perhaps  ?" 

"  If  you  mean  for  the  fur  -  trading  company,  I  am 
not." 

Phil  was  nonplussed,  and  knew  not  what  to  ask  next. 
In  fact,  but  for  the  stranger's  affable  manner  and  quiz 
zical  smile  he  would  not  have  pushed  his  inquiries  so 
far  as  he  had.  Finally  he  said :  "  I  need  not  ask  if 
you  are  a  good  boatman,  for  any  one  who  can  man 
age  a  bidarkie  as  well  as  you  do  must  be  that.  I  do 
want  to  make  one  more  inquiry,  though,  and  I  hope 
you  will  excuse  my  inquisitiveness,  but  we  are  in  dis 
tress  and  greatly  need  assistance.  Are  you  a  Yukon 
pilot?" 

"  For  that  part  of  the  river  lying  between  here  and 
Anvik  I  am,"  replied  the  stranger.  "  In  fact,  I  know 
it  so  well  that  I  would  not  hesitate  to  run  it  in  the 
dark.  Furthermore,  to  satisfy  your  very  proper  curi 
osity  concerning  an  utter  stranger,  who  has  forced 
himself  upon  your  hospitality,  I  will  say  that  I  am  a 
trader,  a  prospector,  a  fisherman,  a  hunter,  a  boatman, 
a  mechanic,  a  writer,  a  teacher,  something  each  of  a 
lawyer,  a  physician,  and  a  surgeon ;  and,  above  all,  I 
am  a  preacher  of  the  Word  of  God,  for  I  am  a  mission 
ary  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  stationed 
at  Anvik." 

"  Oh,  sir,  are  you,  really  ?"  cried  Phil.  "  Then  you 
are  the  very  man  I  have  wanted  most  to  meet.  Had  I 
not  heard  that  you  were  at  Anvik,  and  believed  you 
would  help  us,  I  don't  think  I  should  have  dared  bring 


32  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

the  boat  even  as  far  as  I  have.  I  was  trying  to  make 
up  my  mind  what  to  do  next,  and  had  almost  decided 
not  to  attempt  a  further  ascent  of  the  river,  but  to  go 
into  the  best  winter- quarters  we  could  find  to-morrow. 
You  see  we  are  all  mixed  up  as  to  the  channels,  and 
greatly  afraid  of  being  caught  by  the  ice." 

"  As  well  you  may  be,"  replied  the  missionary. 
"  But,  pardon  my  curiosity,  you  speak  of  bringing  the 
boat  to  this  place  as  though  you  were  her  captain.  Is 
that  the  case  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Phil,  with  a  flush.  "  I  am  only  her 
first  mate,  while  Serge  here  is  second,  and  Mr.  Sims  is 
engineer.  But  I  am  acting  as  captain  during  the  ill 
ness  of  our  real  captain,  Mr.  Gerald  Hamer,  who  is 
down  with  the  measles." 

"Indeed?"  said  the  missionary,  gravely.  "I  am 
very  sorry  to  hear  that,  for  in  this  climate,  especially, 
measles  is  a  serious  sickness  and  has  been  a  terrible 
scourge  on  the  river.  I  have  just  been  spending  a  few 
days  at  one  of  the  Shagelook  villages  installing  a  na 
tive  teacher  in  place  of  one  who  died  of  measles  a  few 
weeks  ago.  How  long  has  your  captain  been  ill  ?" 

"  Since  the  day  we  entered  the  river." 

"And  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  have  navigated 
the  steamer  all  this  distance  without  help  ?" 

"  Oh  no,  sir  !  I  have  had  the  help  of  Serge,  who  is 
a  capital  sailor  and  can  talk  Russian  besides,  and  of 
Mr.  Sims,  who  is  a  first-class  engineer,  and  of  Isaac, 
who  is  a  millwright,  but  who  makes  one  of  the  best 
firemen  I  ever  saw,  and  we  had  another  millwright, 
only  he  died  last  night,  and  a  native  pilot  part  of  the 
way." 

"  Well,  you  have  certainly  shown  an  immense 
amount  of  pluck  and  perseverance,"  exclaimed  the 
missionary,  "  and  I  don't  think  I  know  another  boy  of 
your  age  who  would  have  done  as  well,  for  you  don't 


A    1'AKSON   AT   THE   WHEEL  33 

look  as  though  you  were  out  of  your  teens  yet.  Are 
you  ?" 

"  Almost,"  answered  Phil,  again  flushing.  "  That  is, 
I  shall  be  in  two  years  more." 

"  And  Serge  ?" 

"  He  is  almost  as  old  as  I  am." 

"  How  about  Isaac  ?" 

"  Oh,  Isaac  is  most  twenty." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Sims,"  said  the  missionary,  turning  to 
the  engineer,  I  congratulate  you  on  your  crew. 

"  Yes,"  assented  the  man,  gruffly,  "  they're  a  pretty 
plucky  lot  of  boys.  We've  been  mighty  short-handed, 
though,  since  the  cap'n  took  sick,  and  Martin  died, 
and  my  assistant  was  set  ashore  for  mutiny,  and  I  for 
one  am  powerful  glad  to  see  another  white  man  come 
on  board,  even  if  he  is  a  parson." 

Smiling  at  this  equivocal  compliment,  the  mission 
ary  asked  if  he  might  visit  the  captain,  and  was 
conducted  by  Phil  to  the  sick  man's  bedside.  As  they 
came  away  he  said  to  the  young  mate :  "  Your  captain 
is  dangerously  ill,  and  the  sooner  you  get  him  to  Anvik, 
where  there  is  a  doctor,  the  better.  Therefore  I 
would  advise  you  to  up  anchor  and  make  the  run  to 
night,  especially  as  I  fear  the  river  may  close  before 
morning." 


CHAPTER  VI 
FLOATING    ICE    AND    "  CHY  " 

HAPPY  to  share  his  responsibility  with  the  stranger 
who  had  been  so  providentially  sent  to  their  relief, 
Phil  willingly  agreed  to  his  proposal,  and  ordered  the 
Chimo  to  be  again  got  under  way.  The  night  was 
clear,  cold,  and  still ;  but  there  was  no  moon,  and  its 
darkness  was  only  dissipated  in  a  measure  by  brilliant 
starlight.  This,  however,  was  sufficient  to  disclose  the 
outline  of  the  western  bank,  which  the  new  pilot  kept 
always  in  sight.  He  seemed  actually  to  be  able  to  feel 
his  way  up  the  mighty  river,  avoiding  false  channels 
and  sandbars  as  if  by  instinct,  and  never  hesitating  as 
to  which  side  of  an  island  he  ought  to  pass.  Phil  oc 
cupied  the  pilot-house  with  him,  and  after  a  long  si 
lence  he  exclaimed,  admiringly,  "You  surely  must 
have  been  a  steamboat  man,  sir,  before  you  became  a 
missionary." 

"  No,"  laughed  the  other,  "  I  never  was  on  a  river 
steamer  until  I  came  out  here,  though  as  a  boy  I  did 
have  some  experience  in  running  up  and  down  Lake 
Champlain,  near  which  I  lived." 

"In  New  York  State ?"  asked  Phil. 

"  No  ;  in  Vermont,  not  very  far  from  Burlington. 
So,  you  see,  I  am  a  genuine  Yankee." 

"I  might  have  known  it,"  said  Phil,  "from  your 
handiness  at  all  sorts  of  things.  I  wonder  why  it  is 
that,  as  a  rule,  the  Yankee  is  such  a  Jack-at-all-trades  ?" 

"  I  suppose  it  is  because  he  is  generally  taught  by 


FLOATING   ICE   AND  "  CHY  "  35 

necessity  in  the  shape  of  poverty,"  replied  the  mission 
ary  ;  "  and  even  if  he  were  not  so  taught  at  home,  he 
certainly  would  be  out  here,  where  a  man  must  be  able 
to  do  nearly  everything  for  himself  or  leave  it  undone." 

"Jalap  Coombs  was  a  Yankee,"  meditated  Phil, 
"  that  is,  when  he  didn't  feel  that  he  was  a  subject,  and 
he  could  do  more  kinds  of  things  than  any  one  I  ever 
knew.  How  I  wish  he  were  with  us  at  this  very  min 
ute  !  I  don't  believe  we  could  get  into  any  scrape  or 
trouble  that  he  wouldn't  manage  to  get  us  out  of  some 
how." 

"  Is  he  dead  ?"  asked  the  missionary. 

"No,  indeed.  That  is,  I  hope  not,  though  he  might 
as  well  be  so  far  as  we  are  concerned,  for  I  don't  sup 
pose  we  shall  ever  see  him  again.  We  left  him  on  Ooni- 
mak  Island,  Serge  and  I  did,  and  now  I  suppose  he  is 
in  Sitka  or  Victoria  or  San  Francisco,  or  perhaps  bound 
for  the  other  side  of  the  world." 

Being  thus  started  on  the  subject  of  Jalap  Coombs, 
Phil  proceeded  to  give  his  new  friend  an  account  of 
their  recent  adventures  in  Bering  Sea,  and  of  the 
prominent  part  taken  in  them  by  the  Yankee  mate  of 
the  sealer  Seameio,  in  all  of  which  the  new-comer  was 
deeply  interested.  While  Phil  was  in  the  midst  of 
an  account  of  how  Serge  obtained  fire  from  brimstone 
and  feathers,  the  second  mate  himself  appeared  to  re 
port  that  their  stock  of  fuel  was  nearly  exhausted. 

"Then  we  must  stop  at  Makagamoot  for  a  new 
supply,"  said  the  missionary  pilot,  promptly,  "  though 
I  fear  we  may  have  trouble  in  getting  the  natives  to 
turn  out  at  this  time  of  night ;  still,  with  your  permis 
sion,  Captain  Ryder,  I  think  we  would  better  try  it." 

"Certainly,  sir,"  agreed  Phil;  and  so  the  Chimo,  be 
ing  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  invisible  Eskimo 
settlement  at  that  very  moment,  was  headed  for  the 
west  bank  of  the  river.  Her  whistle  was  sounded 


36  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

vigorously  at  short  intervals,  to  attract  attention,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  her  crew  had  the  satisfaction  of  see 
ing  a  glow  of  fire-light  on  the  beach  not  more  than  a 
mile  ahead.  At  the  same  time  there  came  an  ominous 
crunching  of  ice,  and  all  hands  instantly  realized  that 
inshore  the  river  was  already  frozen  over.  The  ice 
was  not  yet  thick  enough  to  stop  them,  though  it 
materially  impeded  their  progress  ;  they  finally  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  the  bank. 

At  first  the  few  sleepy  natives  who  came,  out  of 
curiosity,  to  witness  the  unusual  sight  of  a  steamboat 
at  that  time  of  night  and  thus  late  in  the  season,  were 
disinclined  to  do  any  work  before  morning  ;  but  the 
appearance  among  them  of  the  missionary,  and  a  few 
words  from  him,  produced  a  magical  change  in  their 
attitude.  Five  minutes  later  a  long  line  containing 
every  able-bodied  man  in  the  settlement  was  formed 
from  the  steamer  to  the  wood-pile,  and  a  steady  stream 
of  cord-wood  sticks,  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  was 
flowing  aboard. 

Within  half  an  hour  every  inch  of  wood  room  was 
filled,  the  natives  were  made  glad  by  double  the  pay 
they  had  ever  received  for  a  similar  amount  of  work, 
and  the  Chimo  was  backing  out  of  the  channel  she 
had  made  for  herself  towards  open  water. 

Only  fifteen  miles  now  lay  between  her  and  Anvik, 
and  though  the  night  had  grown  bitterly  cold,  her  pilot 
held  out  hopes  that  they  might  still  make  the  run 
without  being  nipped  in  the  rapidly  forming  ice. 

Under  every  pound  of  steam  that  her  boiler  would 
bear,  the  sturdy  little  craft  quivered  to  her  very  keel 
as  she  ploughed  through  the  black  waters,  grinding 
the  floating  ice-cakes  beneath  her  bow,  tossing  them 
to  one  side,  or  beating  them  to  fragments  with  her 
powerful  wheel.  Leaving  the  missionary  alone  in  the 
pilot-house,  Phil  worked  with  Serge  and  Isaac  at  heav- 


FLOATING    ICE   AND   "  CHY  37 

ing  wood  into  the  roaring  furnace.  In  face  of  its 
fervent  heat  it  was  hard  for  them  to  realize  that  the 
night  was  cold,  and  much  less  that  the  mercury  stood 
close  to  zero. 

But  the  silent  figure  grasping  the  frigid  spokes  up 
in  the  pilot-house  knew  it,  and  his  anxiety  increased 
with  each  slow  -  dragging  hour.  Was  it  indeed  too 
late  to  reach  a  safe  winter  haven  ?  Had  he  been  too 
officious  and  self-confident?  He  almost  feared  so, 
and  said  as  much  to  Phil  when  the  young  mate 
came  up  to  inquire  how  many  miles  more  they  had 
to  go. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  sir,"  cried  the  lad,  with  all  his  old 
cheery  confidence  fully  restored.  "  Why,  you  not 
only  rescued  us  from  a  regular  slough  of  despond, 
but  from  the  imminent  danger  of  being  frozen  in 
where  we  were  as  well.  If  you  hadn't  come  along  we 
should  certainly  have  stayed  there  until  morning,  in 
which  case  it  is  plain  enough  now  that  the  Chimo 
would  have  gone  no  farther  this  winter.  Now  you 
have  at  least  brought  us  within  reach  of  safety  even 
if  we  shouldn't  move  another  yard,  and  you  have 
lifted  a  mighty  heavy  load  of  anxiety  from  my  shoul 
ders,  I  can  tell  you.  But  aren't  we  nearly  there,  sir  ? 
It  seems  as  though  we  had  come  fifty  miles  instead  of 
fifteen  since  we  took  on  that  wood." 

"  Yes,  and  if  it  were  daylight,  which  it  soon  will  be, 
we  could  see  Anvik  now.  When  we  have  made  a 
couple  more  miles  I  shall  head  her  into  the  ice.  In 
the  meantime  I  wish  you  would  ask  Serge  to  make  me 
a  pot  of  his  hottest  chy,  for  I  am  nearly  perished  with 
the  cold." 

"  A  pot  of  what  ?"  asked  Phil,  thinking  he  must 
have  misunderstood  the  word. 

"  Of  chy.  Tell  him  a  chy  peet  is  what  I  want.  He 
will  understand." 


38  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir  !  Ghy  it  is,  and  you  shall  have  it  if 
there's  a  drop  to  be  found  aboard  the  boat." 

Serge  laughed  at  the  order,  and  hastened  to  fill  it ; 
while  Phil  followed  him,  curious  to  see  what  he  would 
make. 

"  Why,  that's  tea  you  are  putting  into  the  pot !"  he 
exclaimed,  a  few  minutes  later. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Serge  ;  "  chy  is  tea,  and  tea  is 
chy,  and  the  teapot  is  chynik,  and  chy  peet  is  a  lunch 
of  tea  and  bread.  So  there's  a  lesson  in  Russian  that 
I  know  you  won't  forget  in  a  hurry.  Now,  if  you  will 
carry  it  up  to  him  I  will  get  back  to  the  furnace  door, 
for  poor  Isaac  is  just  about  used  up." 

So  the  young  captain  acted  as  steward,  and  then, 
taking  the  wheel  while  his  guest  drank  cup  after  cup 
of  the  scalding  liquid,  became  quartermaster,  and  was 
finally  restored  to  his  original  rank  by  having  the 
missionary  ask  his  permission  to  send  the  Chimo  into 
the  ice.  "  It  may  injure  the  hull  somewhat,"  he  said, 
"  and.probably  will ;  but  we've  either  got  to  risk  it  or 
leave  her  to  winter  out  here  in  the  middle  of  the  river; 
for  we  are  abreast  of  Anvik  now.  You  will  see  the 
houses  in  a  few  minutes,  for  dawn  is  close  at  hand." 

"  Of  course  we  must  put  her  into  the  ice,  and  rush 
her  just  as  far  as  she  will  go,"  answered  Phil.  "  We 
can  afford  to  damage  her  hull  to  a  very  considerable 
extent  better  than  we  can  afford  to  leave  her  out  here 
to  be  crushed  by  the  spring  break-up  of  the  ice." 

So  in  the  first  flush  of  morning  the  brave  little  boat 
was  headed  towards  the  western  bank,  and  began  di 
rectly  to  crash  through  the  thin  ice  fringing  the 
channel.  For  some  distance  she  cut  her  way  as 
though  it  had  been  so  much  window-glass  ;  then  her 
progress  became  slower  and  slower,  until  finally  she 
came  to  a  dead  stop,  though  the  big  wheel  was  still 
lashing  the  turbid  waters  into  foam  behind  her. 


FLOATING   ICE   AND    "  CHY  "  39 

"  Stop  her  !  Back  her  !  Stop  her  !  Go  ahead,  full 
speed  !"  were  the  orders  tapped  out  on  the  engine- 
room  gong,  and  rushing  at  the  ice  with  gathered  head 
way,  the  Chimo  crashed  her  way  through  it  for  a 
hundred  yards  farther.  Again  she  was  backed,  and 
again  charged  the  enemy  with  furious  impetus.  This 
time  the  shock  was  terrific,  though  she  did  not  gain 
more  than  half  the  former  distance.  Again  and  again 
was  the  attack  repeated,  until  finally  she  gained  barely 
a  length. 

With  the  next  shock  the  steamer  climbed  the  ice, 
and  ran  nearly  half  her  length  out  of  water  before  the 
barrier  broke  with  her  weight,  and  set  her  once  more 
afloat. 

"  That's  all,"  said  Phil,  quietly.  «  We  don't  dare 
try  that  again.  If  we  did  we'd  probably  open  every 
seam  in  her,  even  if  we  didn't  break  her  back.  So 
that's  all  we  can  do,  and  here  is  where  the  Chimo  will 
have  to  lie  for  the  winter.  It's  too  bad,  though,  for 
we  aren't  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  shore." 

"  I  don't  know  about  lying  here  all  winter,"  replied 
the  missionary.  "  I  don't  like  it  myself,  and  if  you 
would  rather  have  the  boat  close  to  the  bank  I  guess 
we  can  manage  to  put  her  there." 

"How?"  asked  Phil. 

"  You  wait  here  and  get  breakfast  while  I  go  ashore 
on  the  ice.  I  won't  be  gone  more  than  an  hour,  and 
when  I  come  back  I'll  tell  you,"  was  the  reply.  "  I 
shall  bring  the  doctor  with  me,  too." 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  "  CHIMO  "  GOES   INTO    WINTEB-QUABTEKS 

/ 

WHILE  Phil  watched  the  departing  missionary,  who 
was  making  his  way  cautiously  over  the  newly-formed 
ice,  the  late-rising  sun  appeared  above  the  southeast 
ern  horizon,  gilding  a  cross  surmounting  the  tower  of 
a  little  log-church  pleasantly  located  on  a  high  bluff. 
Back  of  it  rose  the  dark-green  wall  of  a  spruce  for 
est,  while  about  it  were  clustered  a  number  of  low 
but  very  substantial  and  comfortable  -  looking  log- 
houses.  Near  the  beach  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff  stood 
an  Indian  village  of  huts  whose  roofs  bristled  with 
poles.  In  each  one  was  left  a  square  hole  for  the 
egress  of  smoke  from  the  open  fire  built  on  an  earthen 
floor  beneath. 

Scattered  about  in  picturesque  but  hopeless  confusion 
were  long  ranges  of  pole  frames  for  drying  fish,  many 
little  log  -  houses  mounted  on  stilts  and  looking  like 
dove  -  cots,  the  use  of  which  Phil  could  not  imagine, 
fish -traps,  boats,  sledges,  and  everywhere  dozens  of 
yelping,  prowling,  fighting,  or  sleeping  dogs.  Besides 
these  things  Phil  could  see  what  appeared  to  be  the 
black  chimney-stack  of  some  kind  of  a  mill. 

Suddenly  a  flag  was  run  to  the  top  of  a  tall  pole  on 
top  of  the  bluff,  and  as  the  Stars  and  Stripes  streamed 
out  bravely  in  the  cold  wind  a  rattling  volley  of  mus 
ketry  rang  forth  its  loud  note  of  welcome  from  the 
Indian  village.  To  this  Phil  responded  by  a  vigor 
ous  salute  from  the  Chimo's  whistle.  Then,  so  utterly 


THE    "  CHIMO  "  GOES    INTO   WINTER-QUARTERS        41 

weary  from  overwork,  excitement,  and  loss  of  sleep 
that  merely  to  move  required  a  strong  effort  of  will, 
he  left  the  pilot-house  and  went  below.  He  found 
Serge  at  the  captain's  bedside  administering  a  bowl  of 
broth  and  telling  the  sick  man  of  the  events  of  the 
night. 

As  Phil  entered,  Gerald  Hamer's  eyes  rested  on  him 
with  such  an  expression  of  gratitude  as  the  former 
will  never  forget.  "  I  thank  you  two  boys,"  he  said, 
weakly,  "more  than  I  can  ever  tell.  To  you  I  owe  not 
only  my  life,  but  whatever  it  holds  of  value,  and — " 
Here  his  voice  failed  him,  and  Serge  bade  him  not  to 
attempt  another  word. 

"  No,  indeed,"  added  Phil,  "  for  you  don't  owe  us 
one  cent's  worth  of  thanks,  Mr.  Hamer.  To  the  end 
of  our  lives  we  shall  always  be  in  your  debt,  and  in 
bringing  you  up  the  river  to  this  point  we  have  used 
your  boat  to  bring  ourselves  as  well.  So — well,  that's 
all  there  is  to  it,  anyway;  and  now  if  you  will  only 
hurry  up  and  get  well  we  shall  appreciate  that  more 
than  all  the  thanks  in  the  world." 

Then  Serge  left,  and  Phil,  slipping  into  his  vacated 
chair,  almost  instantly  fell  into  a  sleep  so  profound  that 
it  is  doubtful  if  a  boiler  explosion  or  an  earthquake 
could  have  aroused  him. 

An  hour  or  so  later  he  was  in  the  midst  of  a  very 
perplexing  dream,  in  which  he  seemed  to  be  recovering 
from  an  illness,  and  the  old  family  physician  at  his 
bedside  kept  changing  into  a  young  woman.  While 
in  the  form  of  an  old  man  he  said,  "  Yes,  there  are  the 
two  captains,  both'evidently  sound  asleep,  and  no  won 
der.  This  is  Captain  Hamer,  who  would  have  died 
long  ago  but  for  the  devoted  care  of  the  two  lads,  and 
this  is  Captain  Ryder,  who  brought  the  boat  up  the 
river  in  the  face  of  all  obstacles." 

Then,  presto !  the  old  doctor  changed  into  a  young 


42  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

woman,  who  said,  "  Poor  boy,  I  don't  wonder  that  he 
has  fallen  asleep,  and  I  only  hope  he  isn't  in  for  a  spell 
of  illness.  He  certainly  appears  feverish." 

With  this  a  soft  hand  was  laid  on  Phil's  forehead, 
and  he  opened  his  eyes  to  find  his  dream  so  far  a  reali 
ty  that  there  actually  was  a  young  woman  bending  over 
him,  and  wearing  an  expression  of  anxiety  on  her  pleas 
ant  face.  Behind  her  stood  the  missionary. 

She  stepped  back  as  she  saw  that  Phil  was  awake, 
and  the  poor  boy,  recalling  vividly  his  dishevelled  ap 
pearance,  struggled  to  his  feet  with  a  crimson  face. 

"  I  didn't  know  you  were  going  to  bring  ladies  to 
see  us,"  he  said  in  a  reproachful  tone  to  his  companion 
of  the  night.  "In  fact,  I  didn't  know  there  was  a  lady 
within  a  thousand  miles  of  here.  I'm  sure  you  didn't 
mention  the  fact.  You  only  said  you  were  going  to 
fetch  the  doctor." 

"  And  so  I  have,"  laughed  the  missionary,  "  for  this 
young  lady  is  our  doctor,  and  a  most  excellent  one  she 
is,  too,  I  can  assure  you.  She  was  just  saying  that  you 
didn't  look  at  all  well,  and  wondering  if  you  were  going 
to  have  the  measles." 

"  I  had  'em  long  ago,"  answered  the  lad,  "  and  I  never 
felt  better  in  my  life.  I  was  a  bit  sleepy." 

"  Which  isn't  surprising  after  all  you  have  recently 
undergone,"  remarked  the  doctor,  with  a  winning  smile 
that  served  to  establish  friendly  relations  between  them 
at  once.  "You  see,  we  have  already  heard  of  your 
brave  struggle  against  our  unruly  river,  and  that  you 
may  be  prepared  for  them  I  will  tell  you  at  once  that 
there  are  two  more  ladies  at  the  station  who  are  quite 
anxious  to  meet  the  hero  of  so  many  adventures." 

"Oh  !"  gasped  poor  Phil,  who  had  never  before  been 
called  a  hero. 

"  Yes,  but  you  needn't  look  so  alarmed.  They  aren't 
half  so  formidable  as  I  am,  for  they  haven't  the  privi- 


ARRIVAL    OF   THE    DOCTOR 


THE   "OHIMO"    GOES    INTO    WINTER-QUARTERS        43 

lege  of  ordering  people  to  do  things  that  I  obtained 
with  my  diploma." 

"  Are  you  going  to  order  me  to  do  things  ?"  asked 
Phil,  with  recovered  self-possession. 

"  Indeed  I  am  ;  for  as  a  doctor  I  dare  issue  orders 
even  to  a  steamboat  captain,"  laughed  the  young  wom 
an.  "  I  am  going  to  order  you  to  take  sleep  in  big  doses. 
It  is  a  famous  remedy  in  this  country,  for  our  nights 
are  already  seventeen  hours  long,  and  steadily  length 
ening.  But,  joking  aside,  I  want  to  congratulate  you, 
Mr.  Ryder,  on  your  skilful  care  of  this  patient,  whose 
life  has  been  undoubtedly  saved  by  your  success  in 
keeping  him  warm.  Although  he  is  still  a  very  sick 
man,  I  believe  the  crisis  is  past,  and  that  with  the  nurs 
ing  he  can  have  on  shore  he  will  pull  through  all 
right." 

"I'm  awfully  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  Phil,  "but  I'm 
puzzled  to  know  how  we  are  to  get  him  ashore.  I 
shouldn't  think  it  would  do  to  carry  him  over  the  ice 
in  the  face  of  the  wind  that  is  blowing." 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  the  doctor. 

"So  we  have  made  arrangements  to  carry  him  in 
this  very  boat,"  said  the  missionary,  "  and  if  you  care 
to  step  outside  for  a  moment  you  can  see  how  we  pro 
pose  to  accomplish  it." 

Phil  had  been  wondering  at  the  sound  of  many 
voices  and  busy  labor  that  came  from  without,  but 
as  he  gained  the  deck  he  comprehended  the  mission 
ary's  plan  at  a  glance.  Some  fifty  native  men  and 
boys,  directed  by  a  white  man,  were  hard  at  work  with 
axes,  ice-chisels,  poles,  and  other  implements  opening 
a  channel  the  full  width  of  the  Chimo  from  where 
she  lay  to  the  shore.  As  fast  as  a  cake  was  loosened 
it  was  shoved  under  the  solid  ice  on  the  down-stream 
side,  and  already  a  passage  was  opened  for  one-third 
of  the  distance. 


44  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

"  That  is  a  capital  idea  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  "  and  one 
that  I  don't  believe  I  should  have  thought  of.  Even  if  I 
had  I  am  afraid  we  couldn't  have  carried  it  out  by  our 
selves,  nor  do  I  believe  we  could  have  induced  those  na 
tives  to  work  for  us  as  they  seem  willing  to  do  for  you." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  replied  the  missionary  ;  "  but  I  think 
they  are  fond  of  me,  for  when  I  explained  to  them  how 
much  I  owed  to  my  timely  meeting  with  you  last  even 
ing  they  seemed  only  too  glad  of  a  chance  to  return 
the  favor." 

"I  didn't  realize  that  you  owed  anything  to  us," 
meditated  Phil.  "  In  fact,  I  thought  we  had  been  in 
debted  to  you  for  favors  ever  since  our  fortunate  meet 
ing.  But  it  seems  as  though  most  every  one  was 
in  debt  to  some  one  else  for  assistance  in  times  of 
trouble." 

"Ah,  my  boy,"  replied  the  missionary,  "  that  is  one 
of  the  fundamental  principles  of  human  life.  From 
the  moment  we  enter  this  world  until  we  leave  it  we 
are  dependent  upon  others  for  everything  we  possess,  in 
cluding  life  itself.  Wherefore  it  becomes  us  to  render 
unto  our  fellows  such  services  as  we  may,  promptly  and 
cheerfully.  But  here  comes  Serge,  and  I  am  sure  he 
is  going  to  say  that  breakfast  is  ready." 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Serge,  "  I  am,  and  I  should  have  said 
it  long  ago  only  Phil  was  so  sound  asleep  that  I  couldn't 
wake  him  without  disturbing  the  captain.  But  now, 
if  he  is  hungry — " 

"  If  I  am  hungry  !"  cried  Phil.  "  I  honestly  believe 
it  was  only  my  ravenous  hunger  that  put  me  to  sleep. 
Will  you  join  us,  sir  ?" 

"I  was  only  waiting  for  an  invitation,"  replied  the 
missionary,  with  a  smile,  "  for  I  didn't  stop  ashore  long 
enough  to  get  anything  to  eat.  Nor  do  I  believe  the 
doctor  has  had  her  breakfast;  so  if  Serge  doesn't  mind 
having  a  lady  at  his  table — " 


THE  "CHIMO"   GOES    INTO   WINTER-QUARTERS        45 

"  A  lady  ?"  stammered  Serge,  in  dismay,  and  gazing 
wildly  about  him.  "Is  there  one  on  board?" 

"  There  certainly  is,"  laughed  the  missionary,  "  and 
from  what  she  has  heard  of  your  culinary  skill  she  is 
most  anxious  to  test  it." 

A  minute  later  they  were  all  gathered  about  the 
Chimd's  mess-table,  and  the  doctor  was  winning  golden 
opinions  by  her  judiciously  bestowed  compliments. 
Even  gruff  Mr.  Sims  was  induced  to  smile  by  her  praise 
of  his  polished  engine,  which  she  declared  outshone  any 
yet  seen  on  the  Yukon  ;  while  Isaac  was  told  that  the 
mission  saw-mill  was  so  frightfully  out  of  order  that 
the  man  of  all  men  most  needed  there  at  that  moment 
was  a  millwright. 

The  pleasant  meal  was  hardly  finished  when  a  great 
shout  from  outside  announced  the  completion  of  the 
canal.  Then,  with  Phil  at  the  wheel,  while  the  mission 
ary  and  the  doctor  occupied  the  pilot-house  with  him, 
and  with  flags  at  half-mast  for  the  dead  man  in  her 
cabin,  the  stanch  little  Chimo  steamed  slowly  up  the 
narrow  channel  to  the  berth  she  was  to  occupy  for  the 
next  eight  months.  As  she  reached  it  the  mission  flag 
was  dipped  in  salute,  and  then  hoisted  to  half-mast  in 
sympathy  with  her  sorrow. 

So  the  eventful  voyage  of  four  hundred  miles  from 
St.  Michaels  was  ended  ;  and,  thanks  to  the  lads  whom 
Gerald  Hamer  had  rescued  from  the  cruel  waters  of 
Bering  Sea,  he  and  his  property  were  now  moored  in  a 
safe  haven.  And  it  was  none  too  soon,  for  that  very 
night  the  cold  was  so  intense  that  the  Yukon  was 
frozen  from  bank  to  bank. 

But  Phil  did  not  care,  nor  did  Serge.  They  had 
reached  the  goal  towards  which  they  had  set  their 
faces  with  such  sturdy  determination,  and  for  them 
neither  cold  nor  storm  had  any  present  terrors. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
LIFE    AT    AN   ARCTIC   MISSION 

THE  first  thing  to  be  undertaken  after  the  Chimo 
was  safely  moored  in  her  snug  berth  was  the  removal 
of  Gerald  Hamer  to  the  little  log  hospital  that  was  the 
pride  of  the  doctor's  heart.  This  was  accomplished 
without  any  danger  from  exposure  by  means  of  a  can 
vas-covered  litter  especially  constructed  for  the  occa 
sion.  To  be  undressed  for  the  first  time  in  many  days, 
given  a  warm  bath,  and  placed  in  a  bed  that  was  actu 
ally  spread  with  sheets  was  to  be  so  "  lapped  in  luxury  " 
that,  as  the  sick  man  whispered  to  Phil,  any  one  who 
wouldn't  get  well  under  such  conditions  deserved  to  die. 

The  second  duty  was  the  burial  of  poor  Martin,  for 
whom  a  grave  was  already  prepared  in  the  quaint  lit 
tle  cemetery  of  the  settlement.  The  rude  coffin  was 
borne  by  his  late  shipmates,  and  the  entire  community 
of  Anvik,  natives  as  well  as  whites,  followed  the  body 
to  its  place  of  final  rest.  Never  had  Phil  been  so  im 
pressed  with  the  solemn  beauty  of  the  Episcopal  ser 
vice  as  when  he  listened  to  its  grand  utterances  amid 
the  surroundings  of  that  wild  Northern  land.  The 
low-hanging  sun,  the  moan  of  the  wintry  wind  through 
the  sombre  forest,  the  attentive  groups  of  dark-skinned 
natives,  the  mighty  river  rolling  its  tawny  flood  at 
their  feet,  and  the  encircling  solitudes,  vast,  silent,  and 
mysterious,  centring  at  that  simple  grave,  combined  to 
form  a  picture  that  none  of  its  spectators  will  ever 
forget. 


LIFE   AT   AN   AKCTIC   MISSION  47 

When  all  was  over  the  living  left  the  dead  with 
the  dead,  and  returned  to  their  homes.  Even  Phil  and 
Serge  declined,  on  the  plea  of  utter  weariness,  the  prof 
fered  hospitality  of  the  mission  for  that  night,  and 
went  back  to  their  own  quarters  aboard  the  Ghimo, 
where  for  the  next  twenty  -  four  hours  they  slept  al 
most  without  intermission. 

Then  they  were  ready  for  anything,  and  when  they 
again  presented  themselves  at  the  mission,  clad  in  new 
suits  taken  from  the  steamer's  ample  trade  stock,  the 
ladies  found  it  difficult  to  realize  that  these  handsome, 
wide-awake  young  fellows  were  the  same  who,  heavy- 
eyed,  unkempt,  and  ready  to  drop  with  exhaustion,  had 
brought  the  Chimo  to  port  two  days  before. 

Nor  did  it  seem  to  the  boys  that  they  could  be  in 
the  same  place,  for  while  they  slept  the  river  had  frozen 
completely  over,  a  fall  of  snow  had  infolded  all  nature 
in  its  spotless  mantle,  and  now  the  whole  world  lay 
sparkling  in  iinclouded  sunlight.  If  they  were  amazed 
at  the  change  in  the  aspect  of  the  mission  they  were 
also  delighted  with  the  missionary's  house,  which  they 
now  entered  for  the  first  time.  Not  since  leaving 
far-away  New  London  had  either  of  them  seen  any 
thing  to  compare  with  the  prettiness  and  comfort  dis 
played  in  this  wilderness  house  on  the  verge  of  arctic 
Alaska. 

There  were  books,  magazines,  and  pictures,  rugs  and 
potted  ferns,  a  small  organ,  luxurious  divans  and  easy- 
chairs,  a  museum  of  native  curios,  and  many  other  no 
ticeable  objects  of  use  or  ornament.  In  an  immense 
fireplace  a  cheery  blaze  roared  and  crackled,  and  before 
it  a  fine  big  cat  purred  forth  his  content.  In  the  eyes  of 
the  boys  there  was  nothing  lacking  to  the  perfection  of 
this  interior.  And  yet  it  was  all  very  simple  and  inex 
pensive.  Most  of  the  furniture  was  home  -  made,  the 
divans  were  cushioned  with  feathers  from  native  wild- 


48  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

fowl,  and  the  rugs  were  trophies  from  neighboring 
forest  or  waters. 

The  missionary's  family  consisted  of  his  wife,  the 
doctor,  a  young  lady  teacher,  and  a  white  man  who 
had  charge  of  the  saw-mill.  Besides  these  there  were 
a  few  bright  native  boys  and  girls  who  were  under 
special  instruction. 

While  the  lads  chatted  with  the  ladies  and  marvelled 
at  their  surroundings  one  of  the  native  boys  was  seen 
approaching  the  house,  whereupon  its  mistress,  saying, 
"  Ah!  there  comes  the  mail,"  went  to  the  door.  "Noth 
ing  but  the  paper,"  she  announced  on  her  return  ;  "  but 
we  shall  at  least  learn  the  latest  news." 

"  I  had  no  idea  that  you  had  a  mail  service  in  the 
winter,"  remarked  Phil,  innocently,  "nor  that  there 
was  a  paper  published  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

"  Oh,  dear,  no!  It  isn't  published  here,"  laughed  the 
missionary's  wife.  "  It  is  a  New  York  paper,  and  only 
a  weekly  at  that ;  still  it  is  better  than  none,  and  be 
ing  of  this  week's  date  its  news  is  quite  recent.  See  ?" 

So  saying  she  held  out  the  paper  for  Phil's  inspec 
tion,  and  to  his  amazement  he  saw  that  it  was  indeed  a 
New  York  paper  bearing  the  date  of  October  20th. 
Not  until  Serge,  to  whom  this  harmless  deception  was 
an  old  story,  broke  out  with  the  laughter  he  could  no 
longer  restrain  did  it  flash  into  Phil's  mind  that  the 
paper  was  a  year  old,  and  then  he  could  have  thumped 
himself  for  his  stupidity. 

"You  see,"  explained  the  missionary's  wife,  "we 
only  receive  mail  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  then  we  get 
such  a  quantity  of  papers  that  we  cannot  possibly  read 
them  all  at  once.  So  we  lay  them  aside,  and  have  them 
delivered  one  at  a  time  on  their  regular  dates,  by  which 
means  we  receive  two  or  three  newspapers  every  week 
during  the  year." 

"  What  a  capital  idea!"  exclaimed  Phil. 


LIFE   AT   AN    ARCTIC    MISSION  49 

"  Isn't  it?  And  it  is  such  good  training  for  the  boys, 
who  are  allowed  to  act  as  postmen.  Then,  too,  we  use 
the  papers  in  school  in  place  of  reading-books,  and  so 
have  fresh  topics  with  which  to  interest  the  scholars 
every  week.  On  this  account  our  reading-class  is  so 
popular  that  it  has  nearly  outgrown  the  capacity  of 
our  school-room ;  but,  thanks  to  Captain  Hamer,  we  are 
to  have  a  new  one  in  the  spring." 

"Indeed!     Is  he  going  to  build  you  one?" 

"  He  is  already  having  it  built,  and  it  is  to  serve  as 
your  winter-quarters  so  long  as  you  remain  with  us,  af 
ter  which  it  is  to  be  presented  to  the  mission." 

This  was  so  interesting  a  bit  of  news  that  the  boys 
must  visit  the  hospital  at  once  and  learn  what  plans  the 
leader  of  their  expedition  had  made.  They  found  him 
so  far  recovered  as  already  to  take  an  interest  in  his 
surroundings,  and  able  to  talk  freely  with  them.  He 
told  them  that  with  a  view  to  the  future  needs  of  the 
school  the  new  building  was  to  be  forty  feet  long  by 
twenty  wide,  though  for  the  sake  of  present  warmth 
and  comfort  it  was  to  be  divided  into  several  small 
sleeping-rooms,  a  large  living-room  for  the  use  of  the 
Chime's  crew,  and  a  store-room  for  such  goods  as  it 
was  deemed  best  to  remove  from  the  steamer  for  safer 
keeping. 

"In  it,"  explained  the  captain,  "we  will  make  our 
selves  as  comfortable  as  possible  for  the  winters  and  in 
the  spring  we  will  push  on  for  the  diggings.  With 
the  four  hundred  miles'  start  we  have  got,  thanks  to 
you  boys,  we  ought  to  reach  them  in  time  to  do  a  rat 
tling  business  before  the  company's  boats  get  there." 

"  But  how  about  going  out  by  way  of  Chilkat  for 
your  next  year's  supply  of  goods  ?"  queried  Phil. 

"  Oh,  that  plan  must  be  given  up,  of  course,  and  I 
must  make  up  my  mind  to  sacrifice  a  year's  business 
for  the  fun  I've  had  with  the  measles.  The  trip  from 


50  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

here  in  the  dead  of  winter  would  be  a  tough  one  for 
the  strongest  of  men,  for  it  must  be  all  of  two  thou 
sand  miles.  It  will  easily  take  me  the  rest  of  the  win 
ter  to  regain  strength  enough  to  go  on  with  the  boat 
in  the  spring,  so  there's  no  use  thinking  of  that  trip 
now.  I'll  manage  to  send  you  boys  out  somehow  next 
summer,  which  is  the  nearest  I  can  come  to  keeping  my 
contract  with  you.  In  the  meantime,  while  I  am  sorry 
for  your  disappointment,  I  am  very  glad  of  your  com 
pany  and  services." 

"You  don't  think,  then,  that  it  would  be  possible 
for  us  to  go  out  this  winter  by  way  of  Forty  Mile  and 
the  coast  and  make  our  way  to  the  Sound,  or  even  to 
San  Francisco,  and  order  your  goods  for  you  ?"  sug 
gested  Phil,  in  whose  mind  this  wild  scheme  had  sud 
denly  assumed  shape. 

"  You  two  inexperienced  boys  !"  exclaimed  the  cap 
tain,  amazed  at  the  audacity  of  the  proposition.  "Cer 
tainly  not.  Why,  I  don't  believe  either  of  you  knows 
how  to  use  snow-shoes,  or  to  drive  a  team  of  dogs,  or  has 
the  least  idea  of  what  fifty  below  zero  means." 

"  I  think  I  know,"  said  Serge. 

"  Which  ?" 

"All  of  those  things,"  replied  the  young  Russo- Amer 
ican. 

"  You  know  more  than  I  do,  then,  or  ever  expect  to, 
for  I  have  never  driven  a  dog-team.  As  for  Phil  here, 
I  am  certain  that  he  knows  nothing  about  any  one  of 
the  three." 

"  I  believe  I  could  learn,"  said  the  boy  from  New 
London,  "  and  I  know  I'd  be  glad  of  the  chance." 

"  Well,  you  can  study  those  things  right  here,  and 
while  you  are  learning  what  fifty  below  zero  means 
you'll  be  glad  enough  to  have  a  well -warmed  house 
near  by  in  which  to  study  the  results  of  your  lesson. 
You'll  find  plenty  to  occupy  your  time  in  this  immedi- 


LIFE   AT   AN   ARCTIC   MISSION  51 

ate  vicinity  for  the  next  few  months.  So  don't  think 
any  more  of  the  crazy  scheme  you  have  just  proposed, 
for  I  can't  possibly  give  my  consent  to  it.  If  I  should 
thus  lose  sight  of  you  I  should  spend  the  rest  of  my 
days  in  mortal  terror  of  meeting  Mr.  John  Ryder  and 
having  him  demand  to  know  what  I  had  done  with  his 
boy.  Now  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  leave  me  for  a 
while,  as  I  am  too  tired  to  talk  any  more." 

As  soon  as  the  boys  were  outside  Phil  asked, "  How 
do  you  drive  dogs,  Serge  ?  Do  you  have  lines  to  each 
one,  or  only  to  the  leader  ?" 

"  You  don't  drive  them  with  lines  at  all,"  laughed 
the  other.  "Nor  do  you  go  near  them.  You  some 
times  run  beside  the  sledge,  but  generally  behind  it,  so 
as  to  push  on  the  handle-bar  over  obstructions,  or  to 
hang  on  and  hold  back  in  going  down  steep  places. 
From  there  you  talk  to  the  dogs,  and  encourage  them 
with  a  whip  of  walrus -hide  or  seal -skin  that  has  a 
handle  about  sixteen  inches  long  and  a  lash  of  about 
eighteen  feet.  To  produce  the  slightest  effect  on  your 
team  you  must  be  able  to  crack  that  lash  with  a  report 
like  a  pistol-shot  in  either  ear  of  any  dog,  or  to  fleck 
any  one  of  them  on  any  designated  part  of  the  body. 
You  must  also  learn  the  language  that  your  dogs  are 
accustomed  to,  for  they  will  pay  no  attention  to  any 
other." 

"  And  are  snow-shoes  a  necessity  ?" 

"Certainly  they  are,  for  without  them  you  would 
often  sink  out  of  sight  in  drifts,  while  even  in  soft 
snow  of  moderate  depth  they  are  indispensable." 

"Well,"  sighed  Phil,  "it  seems  as  though  one  had 
to  learn  a  great  deal  before  he  can  travel  far  in  this 
country;  but  I  suppose  if  others  have,  I  can.  So  let's 
go  and  borrow  a  pair  of  snow-shoes  and  have  a  lesson 
at  once.  I  suppose  I  might  as  well  begin  the  Eskimo 
whip-practice  and  dog-language,  too  j  for  with  such  a 


52  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

long  journey  ahead  of  us  we  mustn't  waste  any  more 
time  than  is  absolutely  necessary  on  preliminaries." 

"  What  long  journey  ?"  asked  Serge. 

"  Our  journey  up  the  river  to  Forty  Mile,  and  so  on 
to  Chilkat,  of  course.  You  didn't  imagine  we  were  go 
ing  to  loaf  here  all  winter,  did  you  ?" 

"  But  the  captain  won't  give  his  consent." 

"  Oh,  we'll  manage  that.  Besides,  we've  got  to  get 
to  Sitka  some  time,  you  know,  or  our  parents  will  be 
getting  anxious  about  us." 


CHAPTER   IX 
PHIL'S   ESKIMO   MILITIA 

PHIL  and  Serge  dropped  very  easily  into  the  life 
of  the  mission,  and  quickly  became  interested  in  its 
work.  The  missionary  had  always  found  more  or  less 
trouble  with  the  older  Indian  boys,  who  were  almost 
ready  to  take  their  place  in  the  tribe  as  hunters,  and 
so  felt  themselves  rather  above  going  to  school  with 
the  children.  When  Phil  learned  of  this  difficulty  he 
conceived  a  plan  for  overcoming  it,  which,  with  the 
missionary's  consent,  he  at  once  proceeded  to  put  into 
execution.  It  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  to  form 
the  unruly  boys  into  a  military  company.  He  had  been 
an  officer  in  his  own  school  company  at  New  London, 
and  even  Serge  had  become  fairly  well  drilled  during 
the  year  he  had  spent  there. 

Phil  and  Serge  had  already  formed  the  acquaintance 
of  an  intelligent  young  Indian  named  Chitsah,  son  of 
Kurilla,who  had  once  been  in  the  employ  of  an  Amer 
ican  exploring  party,  from  whom  he  had  gained  a  fair 
knowledge  of  English. 

Through  Chitsah,  therefore,  Phil  issued  an  invita 
tion  to  all  the  Indian  lads  between  the  ages  of  twelve 
and  eighteen  to  meet  him  and  Serge  in  the  large 
school-room,  which  was  cleared  of  its  furniture  for  the 
purpose,  that  very  evening,  as  he  wanted  to  teach  them 
a  new  game.  About  one  dozen  boys  accepted  this  in 
vitation,  and  a  disreputable,  slouchy  appearing  lot  they 
were,  all  clad  in  cast-off  or  well-worn  garments  of  civ- 


54  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

ilization,  and  looking  as  though  half  ashamed  of  being 
there.  As  Phil  afterwards  said,  he  expected  each  mo 
ment  to  see  them  become  panic-stricken  and  make  a 
break  for  the  door. 

By  the  aid  of  Serge  and  Chitsah,  who  acted  as  inter 
preters,  Phil  explained  that  the  new  game  was  called 
"  soldiers."  He  said  that  all  who  wanted  to  join  his 
company  and  come  to  that  place  three  nights  of  the 
week  for  drill  might  do  so,  provided  each  would  first 
make  for  himself  a  wooden  gun  like  the  one  he  had 
prepared  that  day,  and  which  he  now  showed  them. 
After  a  while  they  would  give  an  exhibition  drill  to 
which  all  their  friends  should  be  invited,  but  in  the 
meantime  everything  that  took  place  at  their  meetings 
was  to  be  kept  secret  from  outsiders.  Then  the  young 
drill -master  put  Serge  through  the  manual  of  arms 
and  a  few  marching  movements  to  illustrate  his  mean 
ing. 

The  boys  quickly  comprehended  the  idea,  and  were 
charmed  with  it.  Some  of  them  began  instinctively 
to  stand  straight  and  throw  back  their  shoulders  in 
imitation  of  Serge.  When  Phil  ranged  them  in  a  line 
toeing  a  chalk-mark  drawn  across  the  floor,  and  then, 
stepping  back  a  few  paces,  called  out,  "  'Tention  !" 
every  one  of  them  assumed  an  attitude  bearing  some 
resemblance  to  that  of  a  soldier,  and  stood  motionless. 
Then  Phil  pinned  a  band  of  scarlet  cloth  about  the  left 
sleeve  of  the  largest  boy,  who  was  known  as  Big  Si- 
dorka,  and  told  him  he  might  wear  it  for  one  week, 
after  which  it  would  be  given  to  whichever  one  of 
the  company  the  others  should  decide  to  be  the  best 
drilled. 

The  next  evening  twenty  boys  appeared,  and  every 
one  brought  with  him  a  wooden  gun,  all  neatly  and 
some  beautifully  made.  At  this  meeting  they  were 
given  their  permanent  positions  in  the  ranks,  taught 


PHIL'S  ESKIMO  MILITIA  55 

to  count  "  fours "  at  the  word  of  command,  to  hold 
themselves  erect,  to  "  carry  "  and  to  "  shoulder  "  arms. 
They  were  also  given  to  understand  that  the  company 
was  now  full,  and,  until  after  the  exhibition  drill,  no 
more  members  would  be  admitted.  This  at  once  gave 
membership  a  value  that  made  it  seem  very  desirable. 

On  this  occasion,  after  the  drill  was  over,  Serge  pro 
duced  a  number  of  illustrated  books  and  papers  con 
taining  pictures  of  soldiers,  the  meaning  of  which  he 
explained  with  such  success  as  to  fully  ai*ouse  the  in 
terest  of  his  dusky  audience.  As  a  result  of  this  ex 
periment  the  young  Russo-American,  who  had  worked 
so  bravely  for  his  own  education,  found  himself  with 
in  a  week  teaching  an  enthusiastic  reading -class,  in 
which  every  member  of  Phil's  military  company  was  a 
willing  scholar. 

The  missionary  was  jubilant  over  these  successes, 
and  declared  that  with  a  dozen  such  helpers  as  Phil 
and  Serge  he  could  have  every  Indian  on  the  Yukon 
in  school  within  one  year. 

In  the  meantime  our  lads  were  not  neglectful  of 
their  own  affairs.  With  every  able-bodied  Indian  pro 
curable  enlisted  in  the  work,  the  new  building  was  com 
pleted  by  the  end  of  the  first  week,  and  for  some  days 
the  Chime's  crew  found  ample  occupation  in  furnish 
ing  and  storing  it.  Then,  too,  under  instructions  from 
Serge,  Chitsah,  or  Kurilla,  Phil  spent  every  spare  mo 
ment  of  daylight  in  learning  the  art  of  snow  -  shoeing, 
mastering  the  terrible  Eskimo  whip,  and  acquiring  a 
vocabulary  of  dog-language. 

He  got  many  a  tumble  on  his  snow-shoes,  and  took 
ludicrous  "  headers  "  into  many  a  deep  drift,  where  he 
would  flounder  helplessly  until  rescued  by  some  of  the 
delighted  spectators  of  his  mishaps.  The  long  whip, 
too,  tried  its  best  to  strangle  him  by  winding  in  snaky 
coils  about  his  neck,  or  to  tangle  itself  in  bewildering 


56  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

knots  around  his  legs.  As  for  his  vocabulary,  it  was 
enough  to  provoke  laughter  in  the  most  sedate  of 
sledge  dogs,  and  created  uproarious  mirth  among  the 
human  occupants  of  the  Indian  village.  In  spite  of  all 
difficulties,  Phil  persevered  with  unabated  energy,  un 
til  gradually  his  feet  and  the  snow-shoes  began  to 
work  together.  He  actually  succeeded  in  cracking  the 
snake-like  whip  so  that  the  sound  could  be  heard,  and 
Kurilla's  fine  team  of  bushy-tailed  dogs  began  to  prick 
up  their  sharp  ears  understandingly  when  he  addressed 
them.  Many  a  spin  did  he  have  on  the  river  behind 
this  lively  team,  with  Kurilla  running  beside  the  sledge 
and  cracking  his  mighty  whip  until  its  reports  rattled 
like  a  fire  of  musketry.  When  at  length  Phil  was  al 
lowed  to  run  with  the  sledge  instead  of  occupying  it 
as  a  passenger,  and  the  entire  control  of  the  team  was 
intrusted  to  him,  he  felt  prouder,  as  Jalap  Coombs 
used  to  say,  than  was  becoming  to  a  mere  mortal  man. 

But  his  pride  was  quickly  humbled,  for  ere  they  had 
gone  a  mile  the  dogs  discovered  that  they  had  no  rea 
son  to  fear  his  whip,  and  that  his  unintelligible  com 
mands  might  be  treated  with  contemptuous  indiffer 
ence.  Suddenly  Musky,  the  leader,  who  had  a  grudge 
of  long  standing  against  Amook,  one  of  the  big  steer- 
dogs,  turned  like  a  flash  and  darted  furiously  at  his 
enemy.  In  an  instant  the  whole  team  was  rolling  in  a 
confused  mass  of  yelping,  snarling,  snapping,  and  bit 
ing  fur,  with  traces  tangled  in  a  thousand  knots,  sledge 
going  to  smash,  and  pandemonium  reigning  generally. 

Phil  stood  by  in  helpless  consternation,  and  not  un 
til  Kurilla,  running  up  in  breathless  haste,  flung  him 
self  bodily  into  the  melee,  did  he  have  the  faintest 
hope  that  any  dog  would  emerge  alive  from  that  sav 
age  conflict. 

Another  time,  as  he  thought  he  was  meeting  with  com 
plete  success  in  driving  this  same  team,  and  was  thor- 


PHIL'S  ESKIMO  MILITIA  57 

oughly  enjoying  a  ride  in  the  sledge,  the  dogs  suddenly 
stopped  short  and  refused  to  go  on.  They  sat  on  their 
haunches,  with  wagging  tails,  and  looked  up  at  Phil 
with  pleased  expressions,  as  though  rejoicing  over  the 
discovery  that  they  needn't  work  unless  they  chose. 
And  there  they  sat,  in  spite  of  all  their  driver's  efforts 
to  move  them,  until  he  was  in  despair,  when  with  equal 
suddenness  they  sprang  up  and  dashed  away  home 
with  the  empty  sledge,  leaving  him  to  follow  on  foot 
as  best  he  might. 

His  first  real  journey  by  dog-sledge  was  to  the  Eski 
mo  village  of  Makagamoot,  fifteen  miles  down  the  riv 
er,  and  was  taken  in  company  with  the  missionary, 
who  was  accustomed  to  visit  this  place  once  a  month. 
They  went  in  two  sledges,  with  Chitsah  as  runner,  and 
Phil  took  with  him  a  small  lot  of  goods.  For  these 
Gerald  Hamer  wished  him  to  procure  several  suits  of 
fur  clothing,  in  making  which  the  Eskimos  greatly  ex 
cel  their  Indian  neighbors. 

While  the  entire  coast  of  Alaska  north  of  the  great 
peninsula  is  inhabited  by  Eskimos,  they  never  pene 
trate  far  into  the  interior,  and  only  for  short  distances 
along  the  principal  rivers.  Nor  do  the  Indians  of  the 
interior  ever  occupy  the  coast  territory.  Thus  in  the 
present  case  Makagamoot  was  the  last  wholly  Eskimo 
settlement,  and  Anvik  the  first  in  which  Indians  pre 
dominated,  on  the  Yukon. 

Makagamoot  was  a  much  more  thrifty  village  than  its 
next  neighbor,  though  at  first  sight  its  eight  or  ten  large 
houses  looked  only  like  so  many  great  inverted  bowls 
or  hillocks  of  snow.  These  winter  residences  are  in  a 
great  part  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  where  they 
are  neatly  lined  with  wood  or  whalebone,  and  are  ex 
tremely  comfortable  after  their  fashion.  Thus  only 
their  snow-covered  roofs  appear  above  the  surface,  and 
in  the  centre  of  each  is  a  square  smoke-hole,  that  ad- 


58  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

raits  such  daylight  and  outer  air  as  find  their  way  to 
the  interior.  Access  to  these  dwellings  is  gained  by 
means  of  tunnel-like  approaches,  through  most  of  which 
a  man  must  crawl  on  hands  and  knees. 

Back  of  the  dwellings  rose  twenty  or  thirty  of  what 
Phil  had  called  log  dove-cots,  about  six  feet  square 
and  high,  mounted  on  ten-foot  posts.  lie  now  knew 
them  to  be  provision  caches  or  store-houses  for  the 
smoked  or  dried  fish  and  meat  that  furnished  the  en 
tire  winter's  supply  of  food  for  the  village.  They  are 
thus  constructed  to  insure  their  contents  against  the 
horde  of  wolfish-looking  dogs  that  ever  gaze  at  them 
with  hungry  longings.  For  the  same  reason  all  sledges 
and  skin-covered  boats  must  be  stored  on  scaffolds 
erected  for  the  purpose. 

Phil  and  the  missionary  received  an  uproarious  wel 
come,  emphasized  by  a  great  firing  of  guns,  at  this 
quaint  Eskimo  village,  and  were  conducted  to  the 
kashga,  or  principal  building,  which  is  at  once  town- 
hall,  hotel,  bath-house,  and  general  assembly-room  for 
the  settlement,  as  well  as  the  winter  residence  of  all 
unmarried  men. 

So  great  was  the  heat  in  this  place,  so  stifling  its 
atmosphere,  and  so  horrible  its  odors,  that  poor  Phil 
gasped  for  breath  on  entering  it.  In  vain  did  he  at 
tempt  to  partake  of  some  of  the  delicacies  pressed 
upon  their  guests  by  the  hospitable  natives.  Raw 
seal's  liver,  strips  of  reindeer  fat,  dried  fish,  salmon 
roe  that  had  been  kept  for  many  weeks  in  a  hole  in 
the  ground,  and  caribou  bones  split  so  that  the  mar 
row  might  be  sucked  from  them,  succeeded  each  other 
in  rapid  succession.  Phil  was  hungry,  but  not  hungry 
enough  for  any  of  these. 

N*or  could  he  force  himself  to  remain  in  that  terri 
ble  atmosphere  long  enough  to  witness  the  wedding 
of  an  Eskimo  girl  with  a  white  man,  a  Russian  ex- 


INDIAN    GIRI.S,    ALASKA 


PHIL'S  ESKIMO  MILITIA  59 

employe  of  the  old  fur  company,  which  was  the  first 
duty  the  missionary  was  called  upon  to  perform.  The 
mortified  lad  was  sorry  to  thus  disappoint  his  kind- 
hearted  and  well-meaning  entertainers  ;  but  there  was 
no  help  for  it.  So  with  swimming  head  and  uneasy 
stomach  he  made  a  break  for  the  place  of  exit. 


CHAPTER  X 
A  SAD   ROMANCE    OF    THE    WILDERNESS 

FROM  long  familiarity  with  such  interiors  as  that  of 
the  kashga,  and  by  a  powerful  exercise  of  will,  the 
missionary  was  able  to  remain  long  after  poor  Phil 
had  taken  his  departure,  and  also  to  partake  of  several 
of  the  Eskimo  dainties  already  mentioned.  It  was 
largely  by  thus  conforming  in  a  measure  to  the  ways 
of  the  natives  when  with  them  that  he  had  gained 
their  confidence  and  acquired  the  popularity  that 
paved  the  way  for  future  usefulness.  Still,  it  was 
with  a  great  sigh  of  relief  and  an  eager  inhaling  of 
fresh  air  that  he  finally  emerged  from  that  fetid 
atmosphere. 

Phil  in  the  meantime  had  been  amusing  himself  by 
climbing  the  dome-like  roofs  of  the  houses,  and  ob 
taining  such  glimpses  as  he  might  of  their  interiors 
through  the  smoke  -  holes.  He  never  gazed  long 
though,  for  the  vile  odors  issuing  from  those  apertures 
always  drove  him  away  after  a  single  glance  below. 

"  How  can  human  beings  endure  such  vile,  disgust 
ing  smells  ?"  he  exclaimed,  as  the  missionary  rejoined 
him. 

"  They  are  not  vile  and  disgusting  to  them,"  laughed 
the  other.  "If  noticed  at  all,  they  are  extremely 
agreeable.  You  must  remember  that  the  atmosphere 
which  you  find  so  unendurable  is  that  to  which  the 
Eskimo  has  always  been  accustomed.  As  soon  as  he 
is  born  his  entire  body  is  liberally  smeared  with  rancid 


A   SAD    KOMANCE    OF   THE   WILDEKNESS  61 

oil,  and  to  the  day  of  his  death  this  coating  of  grease, 
frequently  renewed,  affords  his  best  protection  against 
cold  and  wet. 

"  His  staples  of  food  are  fish  and  meat  often  in  a 
state  of  partial  decay,  and  always  odorous.  Thus  the 
smells  that  to  your  unaccustomed  nostrils  are  so  of 
fensive,  are  to  him  associated  with  all  that  makes  life 
pleasant  or  even  possible.  At  the  same  time  he  ex 
hibits  the  greatest  aversion  to  those  perfumes  that 
you  consider  most  pleasing.  A  whiff  of  cologne  will 
make  him  ill,  and  flowers  that  to  us  are  sweet-scented 
are  to  him  unendurable.  Thus  you  see  the  sense  of 
smell,  like  all  other  senses,  can  be  educated  to  adapt 
itself  to  any  conditions,  and,  happily  for  the  Eskimo, 
he  finds  nothing  objectionable  in  the  nauseous  odors 
surrounding  him." 

"  That  is  so,"  reflected  Phil,  "  for  now  I  remember 
that  the  Aleuts  of  the  Pribyloff  Islands  could  not  un 
derstand  what  I  meant  when  I  complained  of  the 
awful  stench  rising  from  the  decomposing  bodies  of 
thousands  of  seals  lying  at  their  very  doors." 

With  the  aid  of  the  missionary  and  Chitsah,  Phil 
traded  off  the  small  stock  of  goods  he  had  brought 
with  him  for  half  a  dozen  parkas,  or  outer  garments, 
made  from  reindeer-skin  with  the  hair  still  attached, 
as  many  pairs  of  winter  boots,  and  a  number  of  other 
articles  made  from  seal-skin.  Each  of  the  parkas 
had  a  hood  at  the  back,  which  could  be  drawn  up  over 
the  head.  The  edge  of  this  hood  was  trimmed  with 
wolf-skin  taken  from  the  back,  where  the  hair  is  long 
est.  When  the  hood  is  in  use  these  long  hairs  sur 
round  the  wearer's  face  with  a  bristling  fringe  that 
affords  a  surprising  amount  of  protection  from  driving 
snow  and  icy  winds. 

The  tarbossa,  or  Eskimo  boots,  were  made  of  the 
skin  of  reindeer  legs  on  which  the  hair  is  short  and 


62  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

stiff,  and  were  provided  with  soles  of  seal-skin,  turned 
up  over  toes  and  heels,  where  they  are  gathered  in 
little  puckers  that  the  native  women  chew  or  shape 
with  their  teeth.  The  upper  end  of  one  of  these 
boots  is  tied  about  the  wearer's  knee,  while  a  second 
set  of  thongs  at  the  ankle  holds  it  in  place  at  that 
point. 

Besides  these  things,  Phil  purchased  a  number  of 
Eskimo  wolf-traps,  the  cruel  ingenuity  and  extreme 
simplicity  of  which  exceeded  anything  of  the  kind  he 
had  ever  seen.  They  were  merely  bits  of  stiff  whale 
bone  about  one  foot  long,  with  sharpened  points,  fold 
ed  into  the  smallest  possible  compass,  and  confined  in 
that  position  by  a  lashing  of  sinew.  For  use  this 
harmless-looking  affair  is  thrust  into  a  piece  of  meat, 
which  is  frozen  and  thrown  down  on  the  snow.  Mr. 
Wolf  swallows  meat,  trap  and  all,  with  such  relish 
that  he  at  once  searches  for  another  bit  just  like  it. 
In  the  meantime  the  trap  has  begun  its  deadly  work 
in  his  stomach.  Its  sinew  lashing  softens,  weakens, 
and  finally  breaks  under  the  steady  strain  of  the  com 
pressed  whalebone.  Thus  released  the  bone  springs 
into  its  original  shape,  thrusts  its  sharp  points  into  the 
wolf's  vitals,  and  often  kills  him  instantly.  If  not  at 
once,  death  ensues  in  a  very  short  time,  and  when  the 
thrifty  Eskimo  cuts  up  his  wolf  he  generally  recovers 
his  trap  and  prepares  it  to  be  set  again. 

The  sledge -party  from  Anvik  had  started  from 
there  before  daylight  of  that  morning  with  a  view  to 
returning  the  same  night.  So  as  soon  as  the  mission 
ary  had  visited  every  house  in  Makagamoot  and  Phil 
had  concluded  his  trading,  the  dogs,  which  Chitsah 
had  been  obliged  to  guard  all  this  time  from  an  over 
whelming  onslaught  by  their  Eskimo  cousins,  were 
headed  homeward,  and  the  return  journey  was  begun. 
Chitsah  drove  the  leading  sledge,  which  was  laden 


A    SAD    ROMANCE    OF   THE    WILDERNESS  83 

with  the  several  hundred  pounds  of  dried  fish  that  the 
missionary  had  received  as  a  wedding-fee,  the  mission 
ary  di'ove  the  other,  which  bore  Phil's  purchases,  and 
the  Yankee  lad  trudged  beside  him. 

"Are  you  often  called  on  to  marry  two  people  of 
different  races  ?"  asked  the  latter,  who  was  thinking 
over  the  events  of  their  recent  visit. 

"  No,  not  often ;  though  it  is  not  uncommon  for 
white  men,  who  have  become  permanent  settlers  in  the 
country,  to  marry  native  women,  and  I  once  married  a 
Chinese  man  to  an  Eskimo  girl.  My  strangest  experi 
ence  in  that  line,  though,  was  gained  some  years  ago, 
when  I  first  came  to  this  country.  Wishing  to  famil 
iarize  myself  with  the  entire  valley,  I  took  a  trip  on 
the  company's  steamer  to  the  head  of  navigation.  We 
stopped  to  trade  at  every  Indian  camp,  and  at  one  of 
these,  near  Fort  Yukon,  a  couple  came  on  board  to  get 
married.  The  man  was  a  tall,  good  -  looking  fellow, 
but  a  full-blooded  Cree  Indian,  from  the  distant  inte 
rior.  His  companion  was  also  in  Indian  costume,  but 
the  moment  I  looked  at  her  face  I  saw,  to  my  amaze 
ment,  that  she  was  a  white  girl.  She  was  quite  young, 
but  had  the  saddest  face  I  think  I  ever  saw.  I  remon 
strated  with  her  against  the  step  she  proposed  to  take, 
but  in  a  perfectly  calm  voice,  and  speaking  most  ex 
cellent  English,  though  with  a  Scotch  accent,  she  as 
sured  me  that  she  was  well  aware  of  what  she  was 
about  to  do,  and  that  it  was  her  firm  resolve  to  marry 
the  Indian  who  stood  beside  her.  Both  he  and  she 
gave  the  name  of  McLeod,  and  under  that  name  I  mar 
ried  them. 

"  After  the  ceremony  was  over  she  told  me  her  story. 
It  seems  that,  in  spite  of  her  fair  skin,  she  was  a  half- 
breed  daughter  of  the  Scotch  factor  of  a  Hudson  Bay 
trading-post  and  his  Indian  wife.  When  she  was 
thirteen  years  old  her  father  sent  her  to  Scotland  to 


64  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

be  educated.  She  made  the  long  trip  by  canoe  and 
sledge  from  the  distant  post  where  she  was  born  to 
York  Factory,  on  Hudson  Bay,  in  safety,  and  there 
took  passage  in  the  company's  annual  ship  for  London. 
From  there  she  was  sent  to  Edinburgh,  where  for  five 
years  she  lived  with  relatives  and  attended  school. 
Then  she  received  a  note  of  recall  from  her  father, 
and  was  obliged  to  retrace  the  wearisome  journey  over 
thousands  of  miles  of  sea  and  wilderness  to  her  home 
in  the  far  Northwest.  It  was  terrible  for  her  to  leave 
the  dear  friends  and  pleasant  associations  of  so  many 
years,  and  hardest  of  all  to  separate  from  the  young 
Scotchman  who  had  won  her  heart  and  her  promise  to 
marry  him  as  soon  as  he  should  come  to  claim  her  in 
her  own  home.  While  she  returned  to  Hudson  Bay 
in  a  company's  ship,  he  was  forced  to  travel  by  way  of 
New  York  and  through  the  States. 

"When  the  girl  reached  her  home  she  immediately 
told  her  parents  of  her  engagement,  and  that  her  lover 
was  even  then  on  his  way  to  marry  her.  To  her  dis 
may  her  father  flew  into  a  violent  rage,  informed  her 
that  he  had  already  selected  a  husband  for  her  in  the 
person  of  one  of  the  company's  employes  stationed  at 
Fort  Liard,  and  declared  that  she  must  marry  him  at 
once.  In  vain  did  the  girl  plead  with  him  and  en 
deavor  to  change  his  cruel  determination,  and  in  vain 
did  the  mother  take  her  part.  The  tyrannical  father 
only  grew  the  more  obstinate,  and  when,  after  months 
of  weary  wanderings,  the  Scotch  lover  appeared  at  the 
fort,  he  was  driven  from  it  with  bitter  words.  He  was 
not  allowed  to  see,  or  even  communicate  with,  the 
girl,  but  was  ordered  to  leave  the  country  at  once. 

"There  was  nothing  to  do  but  obey.  The  factor  was 
also  the  only  magistrate  of  a  vast  region,  and  ruled  it 
with  a  rod  of  iron.  None  could  dwell  within  his  juris 
diction  without  his  knowledge,  none  obtain  employ- 


A   SAD    ROMANCE   OF   THE   WILDERNESS  65 

ment  without  his  consent.  The  forts  held  all  the  nec 
essaries  of  life,  and  none  could  be  purchased  else 
where.  A  band  of  Indians  was  ordered  to  convey  the 
unfortunate  youth  several  hundreds  of  miles  away  and 
there  leave  him.  This  they  did,  but  what  afterwards 
became  of  him  I  do  not  know. 

"  By  some  means  the  girl  learned  of  her  lover's  visit 
to  the  fort,  of  his  harsh  reception,  and  of  his  cruel 
banishment.  The  knowledge  broke  her  heart.  She 
became  dejected  and  miserable,  and  spent  her  days 
in  weeping.  At  this  her  father  became  so  furious  that 
he  sent  for  the  man  to  whom  he  had  promised  her  to 
come  and  marry  her  at  once.  He  furthermore  up 
braided  his  daughter  in  the  presence  of  all  the  em 
ployes  of  the  fort,  and  said  such  cruel  things  about 
the  man  she  loved  that,  declaring  she  could  bear  it  no 
longer,  she  ran  out,  mounted  her  pony,  and  fled  to  her 
mother's  tribe.  There  she  promised  to  marry  a  young 
Indian  who  had  long  admired  her,  and  at  once  set  out 
with  his  family  for  the  Yukon,  where  they  hoped  to 
find  a  priest.  As  it  happened,  I  was  the  first  whom 
they  encountered,  and  the  result  I  have  already  told." 

"What  became  of  them  after  that?"  asked  Phil, 
who  was  deeply  interested  in  this  sad  romance  of  the 
wilderness. 

"  I  do  not  know.  They  dared  not  return  to  the  ter 
ritory  governed  by  her  father,  and  the  last  I  heard  of 
them  they  were  living  by  themselves  somewhere  on 
the  upper  Yukon,  where  the  man  was  making  a  pre 
carious  livelihood  by  trapping.  I  tried  to  induce  them 
to  come  and  make  their  home  at  the  mission,  but  poor 
Ellen  McLeod  answered  that  she  should  never  again 
dwell  among  people  of  her  father's  race." 

"Poor  girl,"  sighed  Phil,  who  had  a  very  tender 
heart  for  the  troubles  of  others.  "  I  wonder  if  we 
should  have  any  chance  of  meeting  them  if  we  took 


66  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

our  trip  up  the  river?  By-the-way,  sir,  don't  you 
think  Serge  and  I  might  be  trusted  to  make  that  trip 
this  winter  ?" 

"I  should  not  care  to  advise  you  to  do  it,"  replied 
the  missionary,  "  knowing  its  dangers  as  I  do.  And 
certainly  you  could  not  go  without  Captain  Hamer's 
consent,  for  you  would  require  a  more  expensive  outfit 
than  any  one  save  he  could  furnish." 

"I  suppose  so,"  admitted  Phil,  ruefully,  "but  I 
can't  help  thinking  something  will  turn  up  to  make  it 
seem  best  to  let  us  go." 

They  were  by  this  time  nearing  Anvik,  and  though 
the  sun  had  long  since  set,  the  river  was  flooded  with 
moonlight.  All  at  once  a  dark  figure  darted  out  from 
the  shore  and  came  running  towards  them.  As  it  drew 
near,  Kurilla's  well-known  voice  shouted,  breathlessly: 

"  Cap'n  Phil's  fadder  gone  up  river  !  Yaas,  he 
fadder  !" 

"  My  father  !"  cried  Phil.  "  It  can't  be.  You  must 
be  crazy,  for  my  father  is  thousands  of  miles  from 
here." 

"  True,  all  same.     You  fadder,  yaas  !" 


"CAP'N  PHIL'S  FADDKH  GONK  UP  RIVKK!     YAAS,  HK  FADDER!" 


CHAPTER  XI 
THE  BOYS  CARRY  THEIR  POINT 

NEVER  in  his  life  had  Phil  Ryder  been  more  per 
plexed  than  he  was  at  the  astonishing  statement  just 
made  by  Kurilla.  It  was  incredible  that  his  father 
should  be  in  that  country.  Why  should  he  be  ?  There 
had  been  barely  time  for  him  to  receive  the  letter 
sent  out  by  Nikrik,  and  he  could  not  possibly  have 
reached  the  Yukon  Valley  since  then. 

"  How  do  you  know  it  is  my  father  ?"  he  demanded 
of  the  native.  "  Has  he  been  here  ?  Did  you  see 
him  ?  Why  didn't  he  wait  until  I  came  back  ?" 

"  Him  no  come.  Him  go  up  river.  Me  no  see  him. 
You  fadder,  yaas." 

"  What  can  the  man  mean  ?"  asked  Phil,  in  despair 
of  obtaining  any  intelligible  explanation  and  turning 
to  the  missionary  for  aid. 

From  that  time  until  they  reached  the  station,  which 
they  found  in  a  state  of  excitement  over  the  news,  the 
missionary  questioned  Kurilla  in  his  own  tongue,  and 
by  the  time  they  were  inside  the  house  he  had  gleaned 
all  the  information  the  Indian  possessed. 

"He  says,"  began  the  missionary,  turning  to  his 
eager  audience,  "  that  he  obtained  his  news  from  a  Nu- 
lato  Indian,  who  left  St.  Michaels  only  three  days  ago, 
and  came  by  way  of  the  Divide  and  the  Anvik  River. 
He  is  a  friend  of  Kurilla,  and  spent  a  couple  of  hours 
with  him  this  morning,  after  which  he  continued  his 
journey.  According  to  him,  as  understood  by  Kurilla, 


68  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

a  schooner  containing  Phil's  father  and  another  white 
man  reached  the  Redoubt  soon  after  the  Chimo  left. 
The  other  white  man  was  sick,  so  that  none  of  the 
natives  saw  him;  but  Phil's  father  spent  his  whole 
time  making  inquiries  of  every  one  about  the  boys, 
and  where  they  had  gone,  what  sort  of  a  man  they  had 
gone  with,  and  what  chance  there  was  of  overtaking 
them." 

"I  am  afraid  he  did  not  receive  a  very  flattering 
description  of  the  man  they  had  gone  with,"  remarked 
Gerald  Hamer,  who  was  by  this  time  out  of  the  hos 
pital  and  able  to  join  the  pleasant  family  circle. 

"About  that  same  time,"  continued  the  missionary, 
"the  revenue-cutter  Sear  came  down  from  the  north 
ward,  bringing  the  crew  of  a  wrecked  whaler,  so  that 
for  a  while  there  were  many  white  men  and  much  con 
fusion  at  St.  Michaels.  Then  both  the  Bear  and  the 
schooner  sailed  away,  taking  most  of  the  white  men 
with  them,  but  Phil's  father  stayed  behind.  By-and- 
by  news  came  from  Nulato  that  the  Chimo  had  passed 
that  point  without  stopping,  on  her  way  up  the  river." 

"  Which  is  news  indeed,"  muttered  Gerald  Hamer, 
"  seeing  that  Nulato  is  a  good  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  beyond  here." 

"Isn't  it?"  laughed  the  missionary.  "And,  to  cap 
the  climax,  the  same  runner  that  brought  that  informa 
tion  announced  that  you  would  undoubtedly  be  frozen 
in  before  you  had  gone  much  farther,  whereupon 
Phil's  father  began  making  preparations  to  follow 
and  overtake  you  by  dog-sledges.  He  started  the  day 
before  our  informant  left  the  Redoubt,  and  was  ac 
companied  by  two  other  white  men,  though  whether 
one  of  them  was  he  who  also  came  on  the  schooner, 
Kurilla  did  not  find  out.  So  there  you  have  the  whole 
story  as  straight  as  it  can  be  obtained ;  but,  consider 
ing  the  channels  through  which  it  has  come,  there  is 


THE    BOYS   CAEKY   THEIE   POINT  69 

such  an  opportunity  for  errors  that  I  should  not  be  at 
all  surprised  if  a  number  had  crept  into  it." 

"  Nor  I,"  admitted  Phil,  "  though  I  can't  doubt  that 
my  father  has  arrived  in  this  part  of  the  country,  im 
possible  as  it  may  seem,  for  surely  no  one  else  could 
have  any  object  in  announcing  himself  as  my  father, 
or  going  to  such  trouble  in  hunting  me  up.  Nor  can 
I  doubt  that,  having  conceived  some  absurd  notion 
that  I  am  likely  to  get  into  trouble,  the  dear  old  pop 
has  set  forth  on  a  wild-goose  chase  after  me.  I  fancy 
I  can  see  him  at  this  moment  politely  trying  to  breathe, 
or  to  swallow  raw  seal,  in  some  native  hut,  or  careering 
over  the  river  behind  a  team  of  runaway  dogs,  or 
wrestling  with  the  intricacies  of  an  Eskimo  whip,  or 
having  some  of  the  other  delightful  experiences  that 
he  is  certain  to  encounter.  There  is  one  thing  that 
won't  bother  him,  though,  and  that  is  snow-shoeing, 
for  he  learned  that  long  ago  in  Canada." 

"  How  fond  he  must  be  of  you !"  said  the  mission 
ary's  wife. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  he  is !"  cried  Phil.  "  And  I  of  him, 
for  we  are  everything  in  the  world  to  each  other." 

"  And  how  anxious  he  must  be  !"  murmured  the 
teacher. 

"  I  suppose  so  ;  though  I  don't  see  why  he  should 
be,  for  he  taught  me  to  take  care  of  myself  long  ago. 
I  am  beginning  to  get  pretty  anxious  about  him, 
though,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  clearly  my  duty 
to  organize  a  relief  expedition  at  once  and  go  in  search 
of  him.  What  do  you  say  to  that,  Serge  ?" 

"  I  say  I  should  feel  exactly  as  you  do  if  he  were 
my  mother,"  answered  the  lad  from  Sitka,  who  was 
immediately  afterwards  covered  with  confusion  by  the 
outburst  of  merriment  that  greeted  his  remark. 

"  I  mean — "  he  stammered. 

"Of  course,"  interrupted  Phil,  teasingly,  "we  un- 


70  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

derstand.  You  mean  that  if  my  father  were  your 
mother,  in  which  case  you  and  I  would  probably  be 
brother  and  sister,  you  would  feel  in  duty  bound  to  go 
in  search  of  him  or  her,  as  the  case  might  be." 

"Oh,  you  get  out !"  laughed  Serge. 

"  The  very  thing  I  am  proposing  to  do.  And,  really, 
Captain  Hamer,  now  that  my  father  has  appeared  on 
the  scene,  and  gone  up  the  river,  I  don't  see  how  you 
can  any  longer  have  an  excuse  for  refusing  to  let 
Serge  and  me  follow  after  him.  If  we  don't  overtake 
him  this  side  of  Forty  Mile,  we  shall  certainly  find 
him  there.  Then  we  can  all  go  out  together  by  way  of 
Chilkat,  and  I  know  that  out  of  gratitude  for  your 
kindness  to  me,  if  for  no  other  reason,  my  father  will 
gladly  undertake  to  place  your  order  for  goods  in  San 
Francisco." 

"Your  argument  is  certainly  a  strong  one,"  ad 
mitted  Gerald  Hamer,  hesitatingly,  "  and  it  really 
begins  to  look  as  though  you  had  gained  your  point 
after  all." 

"And  we  ought  to  start  as  quickly  as  we  can,"  urged 
Phil,  eagerly,  "  in  order  to  relieve  my  father's  anxiety 
as  soon  as  possible,  and  also  to  prevent  him  from  get 
ting  lost,  which,  I  am  sure,  any  one  is  likely  to  do  on 
the  Yukon.  When  it  comes  to  procuring  dogs  for  the 
trip,  I  would  advise  you  to  buy  Kurilla's  team,  if  pos 
sible,  for  I  give  you  my  word  they  are  far  and  away 
the  very  best  lot  of  haulers  I  have  ever  driven.  As 
for  their  feed,  I  was  invited  to  a  certain  wedding  to 
day,  though  I  regret  that  I  was  forced  to  decline  the 
invitation,  that  resulted  in  a -sledge-load  of  prime  dog 
fish — no,  I  don't  mean  that  either,  for  they  were  salmon 
— which,  I  believe,  can  be  bought  cheap." 

Thus  rattling  on  and  unhesitatingly  offering  advice 
on  all  subjects  connected  with  dog-sledging  and  snow- 
shoeing,  even  going  so  far  as  to  express  the  opinion 


THE   BOYS   CAREY   THEIK   POINT  Vl 

that  for  their  work  Norwegian  skis  would  be  far  bet 
ter  than  the  ordinary  snow-shoe  of  the  country,  Phil 
succeeded  within  a  few  minutes  in  establishing  the 
fact  that  his  long-cherished  expedition  was  really  to 
be  undertaken. 

As  he  remarked  in  a  low  but  exultant  tone  to  Serge 
after  they  had  gone  to  bed  that  night :  "  Hurrah  for 
snow-shoes  and  sledges,  old  man !  We  have  got  them 
at  last,  as  I  told  you  we  would  from  the  very  begin 
ning." 

And  Serge,  who  was  almost  asleep,  roused  himself 
sufficiently  to  reply  :  "  What  did  you  say  ?  Oh  yes,  I 
know.  Hurrah !  Good-night." 

Whereupon  the  Yankee  lad  disgustedly  hurled  a 
pillow  at  him  with  such  force  as  to  effectually  banish 
sleep  and  provoke  retaliation  that  resulted  in  Phil's 
bed  coming  down  with  a  crash.  Upon  this  its  occu 
pant  remarked  that  he  always  did  despise  civilized 
beds  anyhow,  and  that  hemlock  boughs  in  front  of  a 
rousing  camp-fire  were  good  enough  for  him. 

In  the  meantime  some  of  the  preliminaries  of  the 
tremendous  journey,  to  which  the  boys  looked  forward 
with  such  delight  and  their  elders  with  so  many  mis 
givings,  had  been  arranged  that  very  evening.  The 
best  obtainable  map  of  the  Yukon  was  studied,  and 
marked  with  such  private  information  as  was  possessed 
by  the  missionary. 

"If  you  could  only  overtake  them  before  reaching 
the  Tanana  River,"  he  said,  reflectively,  "  you  might 
cut  off  the  great  arctic  bend  of  the  Yukon,  and  save 
several  hundred  miles  by  going  up  the  former  river, 
crossing  a  divide  to  a  branch  of  Forty  Mile  Creek,  and 
following  it  down  to  the  camp  at  its  mouth.  I  suppose, 
though,  they  will  have  passed  the  Tanana  long  before 
you  get  there,  and  so  you  will  be  obliged  to  follow  the 
great  bend  for  fear  of  missing  them." 


72  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

"I  suppose  so,"  assented  Phil,  "but  I  don't  care. 
The  longer  the  trip  the  more  fun  we'll  have." 

"You  will  find  it  long  enough  before  you  get 
through,"  remarked  Gerald  Hamer,  significantly. 

"I  hope  so,"  returned  the  irrepressible  lad.  "I  like 
to  have  enough  of  a  good  thing." 

An  hour  or  more  was  devoted  to  making  out  a  list 
of  the  articles  necessary  for  the  trip.  While  from 
then  until  the  very  time  of  departure  Phil  kept  think 
ing  of  and  adding  new  items  to  this  list,  Serge  was 
kept  equally  busy  in  trying  to  reduce  its  length. 

Before  Kurilla  was  dismissed  that  evening  both  he 
and  his  son  Chitsah  were  engaged  to  accompany  the 
boys  at  least  as  far  as  Forty  Mile,  a  distance  of  one 
thousand  miles,  though  beyond  that  point  they  would 
not  promise  to  go. 

From  Kurilla  also  Gerald  Hamer  agreed  to  pur 
chase,  at  his  own  price,  his  fine  team  of  dogs,  of 
which  bushy-tailed  Musky  was  leader,  big  Amook  and 
Mint  were  steer -dogs,  and  Luvtuk  and  Shag  com 
pleted  the  nimble-footed  quintet.  This  was  hereafter 
to  be  known  as  Phil's  team,  for,  having  already  had 
some  experience  in  driving  them,  it  was  believed  that 
he  could  manage  them  better  than  dogs  unaccustomed 
to  his  astonishing  pronunciation  of  the  native  words 
of  command.  Kurilla  was  to  bring  them  to  him  the 
very  next  morning  to  be  fed,  for  in  dog-sledging  it  is 
a  rule  that  every  driver  shall  feed  his  own  team,  in 
order  to  win  their  regard  and  persuade  them  that  he 
is  not  an  unmitigated  evil. 

The  season  was  now  late  November,  and  though  the 
morrow  was  Thanksgiving  day,  or  believed  to  be  such 
in  absence  of  any  proclamation  to  that  effect,  it  was  to 
be  devoted  to  preparations,  and  the  start  was  to  be 
made  at  sunrise  of  the  following  morning.  Therefore 
Phil's  last  words  of  the  night  were : 


THE   BOYS   CARRY  THEIR   POINT  73 

"  I  am  dead  tired,  old  man,  but  I  want  you  to  wake 
me  early  all  the  same,  for  I  shall  have  only  one  day 
in  which  to  feed  my  dogs  and  teach  them  to  know 
me." 


CHAPTER  XII 
PHIL   FEEDS   HIS   DOGS 

IT  did  not  seem  to  Phil  that  he  had  any  more  than 
closed  his  eyes  before  he  was  awakened  by  such  a  ba 
bel  of  yelps  and  barkings  as  notified  him  that  further 
sleep  was  out  of  the  question,  and  also  that  his  dogs 
were  waiting  to  be  fed.  Hearty  imprecations  show 
ered  on  the  heads  of  the  vociferous  team  from  the  di 
rection  of  Mr.  Sims's  room,  and  threats  to  treat  them 
to  a  dose  of  duck -shot,  so  hastened  Phil's  movements 
that  in  a  few  seconds  he  had  slipped  on  his  seal-skin 
boots  and  fur  parka,  and  was  outside  in  the  stinging 
cold.  There  in  the  moonlight  stood  Kurilla,  with  a 
broad  grin  on  his  good-humored  face,  holding  in  leash 
Phil's  team.  Every  member  of  it,  but  big  Amook 
loudest  of  all,  was  vigorously  demanding  his  three 
meals  of  the  day  before  and  the  one  already  due  on 
the  present  morning,  or  four  in  all. 

On  the  Yukon  it  is  customary  to  feed  sledge-dogs 
once  in  every  twenty-four  hours,  and  that  at  night, 
after  the  day's  work  is  ended.  In  order  that  Musky 
and  Luvtuk  and  the  others  might  be  so  unusually 
hungry  as  to  fully  appreciate  the  first  meal  from 
the  hands  of  their  new  master,  Kurilla  had  withheld 
their  meal  of  the  previous  evening,  so  that  now  they 
were  fairly  ravenous.  Near  at  hand  stood  Chitsah, 
restraining  with  the  utmost  difficulty  another  team  of 
dogs  that  were  destined  to  be  driven  by  Serge.  As 
they  had  been  regularly  fed  the  evening  before,  they 
could  not  have  been  so  hungry  as  Phil's  team,  though 


PHIL   FEEDS    HIS   DOGS  75 

from  their  bowlings  one  would  think  they  had  not 
tasted  food  for  a  week. 

Appreciating  the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  and 
shouting  to  Serge  to  come  out  and  attend  to  the  wants 
of  his  own  team,  Phil  ran  to  the  storehouse,  from  which 
he  took  two  dried  salmon.  They  were  so  large  that  he 
proposed  to  cut  each  into  several  pieces  of  such  size  as 
seemed  to  him  fitted  to  a  dog's  throat.  As  he  ap 
proached  his  team  he  called  to  Serge  to  fetch  him  a 
knife  ;  but  almost  as  he  uttered  the  words  he  was  giv 
en  to  understand  that  it  was  not  needed. 

With  a  savage  spring  Amook  reached  his  side,  seized 
one  of  the  big  fish  in  his  powerful  jaws,  and  with  a 
couple  of  convulsive  gulpings  swallowed  it  whole. 
Having  accomplished  this  feat  he  wagged  his  tail 
cheerfully,  and  looked  up  into  his  young  master's  face, 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  That  sample  was  so  good  that  I 
think  I'll  take  some  fish,  if  you  please." 

"  Well,  if  you  aren't  an  ostrich  !"  Phil  started  to  say  ; 
but  even  as  he  opened  his  mouth  to  speak  he  was  over 
thrown  and  instantly  buried  beneath  an  avalanche  of 
dogs.  Incited  by  Amook's  brilliant  success,  Musky, 
Mint,  Shag,  and  Luvtuk  followed  his  example,  while 
the  dogs  held  by  Chitsah  broke  loose  at  the  same  mo 
ment,  and  all  projected  themselves  with  the  energy  of 
living  catapults  towards  the  single  fish  that  Phil  still 
held. 

Both  Kurilla  and  Chitsah  instantly  flung  themselves 
on  top  of  the  confused  mass  of  howling  animals,  and 
for  the  space  of  a  minute  the  scene  enacted  in  full  view 
of  the  aroused  inmates  of  the  station  was  equal  to  any 
first-class  football  scrimmage.  Women  screamed,  while 
men  shouted  and  ran  towards  the  place  of  battle. 

In  another  minute  the  fierce  animals  had  been  torn 
apart,  flung  this  way  and  that,  and  were  sneaking  off 
in  so  many  different  directions  with  lowered  tails.  The 


76  SNOW-SHOES   AND  'SLEDGES 

two  Indians  were  breathlessly  but  calmly  readjusting 
their  disordered  garments,  the  salmon  had  disappeared, 
and  Phil,  sitting  on  the  hard- packed  snow,  was  ten 
derly  feeling  of  different  parts  of  his  body. 

"  Are  you  much  hurt,  old  man  ?"  cried  Serge,  anx 
iously,  as  he  reached  his  friend's  side. 

"Serge,"  replied  Phil,  solemnly,  "did  you  ever 
happen  to  see  a  good  little  book  called  the  Franklin 
Primer  ?" 

"  I  don't  think  I  ever  did.     Why  ?" 

"Because  it  contains  a  picture  that  you  would  do 
well  to  study.  The  picture  is  that  of  a  small  boy,  with  a 
very  anxious  expression,  hanging  by  his  hands  from  the 
outer  end  of  a  branch  that  projects  over  a  tropical  river. 
Immediately  beneath  him  swim  a  dozen  open-mouthed 
crocodiles  regarding  him  with  evident  expectancy. 
Beneath  the  picture  is  a  legend  to  the  effect  that  John 
ny  is  about  to  feed  his  pets.  Now  let's  turn  in  again 
and  finish  out  our  nap." 

But  there  was  too  much  to  be  done  that  day  to  ad 
mit  of  further  sleeping,  and  both  lads  quickly  found 
themselves  full  of  business.  To  begin  with,  stores  for 
the  expedition  were  to  be  selected  and  carefully  packed. 
Of  these  the  largest  single  item  was  fish,  to  be  used  as 
dog  food,  and  with  this  one  sledge  was  wholly  laden. 
Then  came  flour,  tea,  sugar,  salt,  bacon,  hard  bread, 
evaporated  fruit,  a  package  of  fine  pemmican — which 
is  made  of  dried  and  pounded  moose  meat  mixed  with 
berries  and  boiling  fat  in  a  rawhide  bag,  where  it  be 
comes  perfectly  solid — oatmeal,  a  can  of  baking-pow 
der,  molasses,  a  case  of  canned  goods  for  special  occa 
sions,  a  quantity  of  reindeer-back  fat,  to  be  used  in 
place  of  butter  or  lard,  and  a  few  pounds  of  tobacco 
for  trading  with  Indians. 

For  cooking  utensils  there  was  first  and  most  impor 
tant  of  all  the  chynik,  or  copper  tea-kettle,  and  an  ex- 


PHIL   FEEDS    HIS   DOGS  77 

tra  one  in  case  of  accident.  Then  came  a  long-handled 
fry-pan,  a  large  iron  pot,  a  brass  kettle,  a  saucepan, 
half  a  dozen  tin  plates,  as  many  cups,  spoons,  and  forks. 
Besides  these  there  was  a  wash-basin,  and  each  man  car 
ried  a  knife  in  a  sheath  attached  to  his  belt. 

At  the  bead  of  the  miscellaneous  list  came  a  fine 
rifle  for  Phil's  especial  use,  and  a  double-barrelled  shot 
gun,  with  an  ample  supply  of  fixed  ammunition  for 
both.  Besides  these  Kurilla  would  carry  his  well- 
beloved  old  flint-lock  musket.  Then  came  three  axes, 
one  for  each  sledge,  two  hatchets,  a  case  of  awls,  an 
other  of  needles,  a  supply  of  stout  thread  and  sinew 
for  sewing,  a  thermometer,  and  a  bolt  of  cotton  cloth 
to  be  used  as  wanted. 

Most  important  of  all  for  a  winter  journey  in  that 
region  of  arctic  cold  was  the  outfit  of  fur  clothing  with 
which  each  of  the  boys  was  liberally  provided,  and 
some  of  which  was  made  that  very  day  by  the  nimble 
fingers  of  Indian  women.  In  each  case  this  consisted 
of  a  round,  close  -  fitting  fur  cap  of  marten-skin  ;  a 
heavy  caribou  parka,  or  outer  shirt,  trimmed  with  wol 
verene  and  wolf  skin  ;  an  inner  shirt  of  softest  fawn- 
skin,  trousers  of  Siberian  reindeer,  boots  of  moose- 
shank  and  seal,  plenty  of  moccasins  and  fur -lined 
arctic  socks,  and  two  pairs  of  mittens  that  reached  to 
the  elbow.  Of  these  the  outer  pair  was  of  moose-hide 
lined  with  heavy  flannel,  while  the  inner  pair,  the  right 
hand  of  which  had  a  trigger  finger  as  well  as  a  thumb, 
was  made  of  lynx,  with  the  fur  inside. 

A  warm  sleeping-bag  for  each  boy  was  made  by  tak 
ing  a  fine  and  extra  heavy  Mackinaw  blanket,  lining  it 
with  marmot-skins,  fur  side  out,  covering  the  other  side 
with  stout  canvas  as  a  protection  against  sparks  and  the 
wet  of  melting  snow,  and  sewing  up  the  edges.  This, 
with  a  small  pillow  filled  with  geese  feathers  and  a 
large  bear-skin,  constituted  an  arctic  bed  in  which  one 


78  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

might  sleep  out-of-doors  with  comfort  in  the  coldest  of 
weather. 

These  things,  together  with  snow-shoes  and  native 
snow-goggles,  made  of  wood  pierced  with  a  long  slit 
and  blackened  on  the  inside,  completed  the  outfit  of 
our  young  travellers.  They  were  to  use  the  ingalik, 
or  regular  Yukon  sledge,  which  is  much  lighter  than 
the  Eskimo,  or  coast  sledge,  but  heavier  and  stronger 
than  the  Hudson  Bay  toboggan  commonly  used  in  the 
interior. 

The  getting  together  of  these  things  occupied  all 
hands  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  though  after 
satisfying  himself  as  to  his  outfit  of  fur  garments 
Phil  left  the  rest  to  Serge  and  Gerard  Hamer,  for  he  had 
another  very  important  duty  to  perform.  This  was  ar 
ranging  the  exhibition  drill  of  his  native  soldier  boys, 
who  had  looked  forward  to  it  with  such  eagerness 
that  he  could  not  bear  to  disappoint  them. 

Fortunately  the  day  was  fine  and  not  very  cold,  for 
the  school-room  was  so  utterly  inadequate  to  the  ac 
commodation  of  both  performers  and  spectators  that 
the  drill  was  necessarily  held  outside. 

Noon  was  the  hour  appointed  for  this  most  impor 
tant  event,  and  by  that  hour  the  space  reserved  for  spec 
tators  was  occupied  by  every  inhabitant  of  the  native 
village.  Their  curiosity  was  raised  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  expectation,  for  the  boys  had  kept  their  secret 
so  well  that  no  one  knew  anything  concerning  the  nat 
ure  of  the  exhibition. 

For  some  minutes  excitement  was  kept  at  fever 
heat  by  strange  sounds  issuing  from  behind  the  closed 
school  -  house  doors,  where  the  company  was  forming. 
Then  the  door  was  flung  open,  and  to  the  measured 
beating  of  a  drum  that  gruff  Mr.  Sims  had  made  for 
Little  Sidorka,  who  was  Big  Sidorka's  brother,  and  at 
that  moment  the  proudest  boy  in  Anvik,  the  dusky 


PHIL    FEEDS    HIS    DOGS  79 

company  marched  forth  in  single  file,  headed  by  Big 
Sidorka,  who  still  wore  the  badge  of  honor  that  made 
him  the  envied  of  all  his  fellows.  Phil  came  last, 
and  at  his  command  of  "Company,  halt!  Right  face! 
Right  dress!  'Tention!"  the  long  line  stood  straight 
and  motionless  facing  their  awe-stricken  relatives. 

Then  came  in  rapid  succession  the  sharp,  crisp  or 
ders  now  so  familiar  to  nearly  every  school-boy  in  the 
United  States,  but  never  before  heard  by  the  public 
of  Anvik:  "Present  arms!  Carry  arms!  Right  shoul 
der  arms  /"  and  the  rest,  until  every  movement  of  the 
manual  had  been  executed  with  a  promptness  and 
precision  that  drew  forth  a  storm  of  applause  from  the 
delighted  spectators.  But  when  Phil  handed  his 
wooden  sword  to  Sergeant  Sidorka,  and  the  company 
was  put  through  the  same  drill  without  a  mistake  by 
one  of  their  own  number,  the  enthusiasm  of  the  on 
lookers  knew  no  bounds. 

Then  the  company  was  put  through  the  few  simple 
marching  manreuvres  that  it  had  been  able  to  practise 
in  the  limited  area  of  the  school-room.  Finally,  when, 
at  the  command  "Charge  bayonets/  Double  quick 
march!"  it  advanced  on  the  run  with  levelled  guns 
directly  towards  its  admiring  friends,  they  scurried 
away  in  every  direction  with  apprehensive  screams  as 
though  their  brothers  had  become  sure  enough  soldiers, 
armed  with  real  guns,  and  bent  upon  their  destruction. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises  Phil  promoted 
Sergeant  Sidorka  to  a  captaincy,  formally  turned  over 
the  command  of  the  company  to  him,  and  hung  about 
his  neck  a  medal  beaten  out  of  a  silver  dollar  and  en 
graved  with  the  single  word  "  Captain."  To  this  day 
if  there  is  a  prouder  young  fellow  in  all  Alaska  than 
Big  Sidorka,  or  a  more  exacting  drill-master,  it  would 
be  hard  to  find  him. 

Serge  bade  his  reading-class  farewell  that  evening, 


80  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

and  commended  them  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Sims, 
the  engineer,  who  to  the  surprise  of  every  one  had 
volunteered  to  continue  the  work  so  successfully  begun 
by  the  young  Russo-American. 

That  evening,  too,  Gerald  Hamer  gave  Phil  a  list  of 
goods  that  the  Chimo  would  take  to  the  Forty  Mile 
Mining  Camp  in  the  spring,  and  the  prices  at  which  they 
would  be  sold.  He  also  gave  him  money  enough  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  a  trip  to  San  Francisco,  and  a 
long  letter  of  instructions  to  the  agent  of  the  new  trad 
ing  company  in  that  city.  This  Phil  was  to  supple 
ment  by  a  verbal  statement  of  the  condition  of  affairs 
in  the  Yukon  diggings,  and  the  class  of  goods  most  in 
demand. 

Thus  was  everything  made  ready  for  the  morrow, 
on  which  Phil  and  Serge  were  to  set  forth  on  a  mid 
winter  search  through  the  vast  Alaskan  wilderness  for 
the  former's  dearly  loved  father,  and  begin  the  tre 
mendous  journey  which  they  hoped  would  carry  them 
to  the  very  head-waters  of  the  Yukon,  and  finally  laud 
them  in  green  Sitka  town. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
MUSIC    OF   THE    SLEDGE-BELLS 

THE  cold  winter  morning  that  succeeded  that  mem 
orable  day  at  the  Anvik  Mission  witnessed  an  ani 
mated  scene  in  the  open  space  between  its  stout  log 
buildings.  Fur-clad  figures  hurried  in  all  directions, 
bringing  last  things  and  finishing  the  lading  of  the 
three  sledges  that  were  to  constitute  the  up-river  bri 
gade.  To  each  of  these  were  attached  seven  dogs,  it 
having  been  decided  at  the  last  moment  to  add  two 
extra  haulers  to  each  team,  as  both  dogs  and  fish  for 
their  feed  were  much  cheaper  at  Anvik  than  they  would 
be  beyond  that  point.  Then,  too,  with  such  strong 
teams  a  high  degree  of  speed  could  be  maintained,  for 
while  two  of  the  sledges  carried  six  hundred  pounds 
each,  the  third  was  laden  with  but  half  that  weight,  so 
that  if  either  of  the  boys  became  exhausted  he  could 
ride,  and  so  avoid  the  necessity  of  a  halt. 

Each  dog's  harness  was  composed  of  three  bands  of 
seal-skin,  two  of  which  passed  over  his  back  and  were 
toggled  or  buttoned  under  the  belly,  while  the  third, 
which  was  extended  into  traces,  crossed  his  chest. 
The  leader  was  attached  to  the  end  of  a  long  pulling 
thong  of  walrus  hide,  while  the  traces  of  the  other 
dogs,  who  ran  in  pairs,  were  knotted  and  made  fast  to 
the  same  line  at  proper  intervals.  The  two  steer-dogs 
were  hitched  directly  to  the  hauliug-bar  in  front  of 
the  sledge. 

The  load  of  each  sledge,  enveloped  in  stout  canvas, 


82  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

was  immovably  bound  to  it  by  a  simple  but  ingenious 
net-work  of  raw-hide  lashing,  so  that  the  whole  might 
roll  over  and  over  without  being  loosened  or  disar 
ranged. 

At  ten  o'clock,  or  just  as  the  laggard  sun  of  those 
short  days  was  rising,  the  last  hearty  handshakes  were 
exchanged,  the  fervent  "  God  bless  yous "  and  final 
farewells  were  uttered,  and  the  start  was  made. 

Kurilla,  who  was  to  act  as  runner  and  break  a  trail 
through  the  snow,  went  first.  Then  came  Phil's  team, 
with  the  string  of  tiny  bells  attached  to  Husky's  har 
ness  jingling  merrily  in  the  frosty  air  ;  after  him  fol 
lowed  Serge,  whose  cheery  good-nature  and  ready  help 
fulness  had  won  for  him  a  warm  place  in  every  Anvik 
heart  ;  and  the  rear  was  brought  up  by  Chitsah. 

On  the  very  brow  of  the  steep  descent  to  the  river 
Phil  turned  for  a  parting  wave  of  his  hand  and  a  last 
glance  at  the  place  that  had  grown  to  seem  so  much 
like  home  in  the  past  six  weeks.  His  less  sentimental 
dogs  sprang  down  the  narrow  track  with  such  sudden 
ness  that  poor  Phil,  who  still  held  to  the  sledge  with 
one  hand,  was  jerked  abruptly  forward,  threw  the 
sledge  from  the  path  in  his  effort  to  save  himself,  and 
plunged  with  it  down  the  bank.  By  thus  taking  a 
header,  Phil,  his  dogs,  and  his  sledge  reached  the 
bottom  even  in  advance  of  Kurilla,  sadly  demoral 
ized,  but  except  for  a  few  bruises  and  a  terrible  snarl 
of  trace-lines  none  the  worse  for  the  accident. 

When  a  few  minutes  later  Serge  reached  the  spot 
with  his  anxious  and  now  familiar  inquiry,  Phil  cut 
him  short  by  saying, 

"  No,  old  man,  I'm  not  hurt,  though,  of  course,  I 
might  have  been.  But  I  was  willing  to  risk  it  for  your 
sake." 

"  For  my  sake  !"  cried  Serge,  in  amazement. 

"  Yes,  to  set  you  an  example  in  promptness  of  move- 


MUSIC   OF   THE    SLEDGE-BELLS  83 

merit.  You  know  I  have  always  said  we  would  never 
get  to  Sitka  unless  we  took  advantage  of  every  oppor 
tunity,  and  pressed  forward  with  all  possible  speed." 

"  Oh,  pshaw !"  laughed  Serge.  "  You  remind  me  of 
a  story  I  heard  in  New  London.  An  old  Quaker  was 
driving  along  a  country  road  with  his  boy  sitting  in 
the  back  of  the  cart.  Suddenly  the  horse  shied,  and 
the  boy  was  thrown  out,  whereupon  the  old  man  re 
marked,  quietly,  '  Be  thankful  for  thy  mercies,  son,  for 
if  thee'd  fell  in  a  particellar  way  thee'd  broke  thy 
neck.' " 

"Well,  I  didn't,"  replied  Phil,  "though  I'm  sure  I 
fell  in  a  very  particular  way — at  least,  it  was  particu 
larly  unexpected." 

In  a  few  minutes  Kurilla's  deft  fingers  had  repaired 
all  damages,  and  disentangled  the  apparently  hopeless 
snarl  of  dogs.  Then  the  train  was  once  more  set  in 
motion,  and,  as  it  swept  out  on  the  broad  surface  of  the 
frozen  river,  was  headed  due  north  for  the  first  stage 
of  its  long  journey.  Fainter  and  fainter  came  the 
music  of  its  sledge-bells  to  those  who  watched  its  de 
parture.  Its  receding  figures  lessened  until  they  were 
but  black  specks  against  the  illimitable  expanse  of 
white,  and  finally  vanished  in  the  snow  glint  of  its 
wavering  horizon. 

To  Phil  Ryder,  however,  there  was  no  vanishing 
about  the  seven  dogs  that  he  was  attempting  to  drive. 
They  were  right  before  his  eyes,pwhere  he  was  obliged 
to  keep  them  pretty  constantly,  too  ;  for  if  he  looked 
away  for  an  instant  they  knew  it,  and  seized  the  oppor 
tunity  for  mischief.  There  was  not  a  lump  of  ice,  a 
hillock  of  snow,  or  a  bit  of  drift  that  one  or  all  of  them 
did  not  wish  to  smell  of  and  investigate.  If  there  was 
an  obstruction  to  be  passed,  three  of  them  would  try  to 
go  on  one  side  of  it  and  four  on  the  other.  At  sight  of 
a  rabbit  scurrying  across  the  frozen  field,  they  would 


84  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

give  tongue  and  set  forth  in  hot  pursuit.  Above  all, 
each  of  the  five  belonging  to  the  original  team  was 
spoiling  for  a  fight  with  one  or  both  of  the  new-comers, 
to  whom  Phil  had  given  the  names  of  Lofter  and 
Brassy.  If  he  glanced  back  to  shout  to  Serge,  Musky 
would  double  on  his  tracks  and  spring  at  the  throat  of 
the  unoffending  Lofter,  who  would  abjectly  roll  on 
his  back  with  a  howl  of  apprehension  ;  Amook  would 
snap  at  his  heels  ;  Luvtuk  would  wheel  upon  Brassy ; 
and  by  the  time  Phil's  eye  again  rested  on  his  team 
they  would  be  engaged  in  such  a  battle  as  would  glad 
den  the  heart  of  a  city  gamin.  Then  Kurilla  would 
rush  back,  seize  Phil's  whip,  and  crack  it  about  their 
ears  with  such  frightful  reports  that,  in  their  frantic 
efforts  to  escape,  the  offending  dogs  would  only  entan 
gle  themselves  still  more  hopelessly.  In  the  meantime, 
the  other  teams,  thus  forced  to  a  halt,  would  sit  on 
their  haunches,  or  lie  in  comfortable  attitudes,  and  lift 
their  voices  in  sympathetic  howls. 

Finally,  when  this  thing  happened  for  about  the  tenth 
time,  Phil  exclaimed : 

"  Look  here,  Kurilla,  you  and  I  must  change  places, 
for  I  can't  stand  this  any  longer.  Besides,  with  the 
present  arrangement,  we  are  spending  more  time  dis 
entangling  dogs  than  we  are  in  travelling.  I  don't 
somehow  seem  to  have  learned  the  A  B  C  of  sledge 
driving;  but  I  am  getting  along  pretty  well  with  the 
shoes,  and  believe  I  ean  walk  ahead  and  tread  out  a 
trail  as  well  as  any  one." 

"  All  light,"  answered  the  obliging  fellow.  "  You 
walk,  me  come.  Me  come  fas',  you  walk  more  fas', 
yaas."  Then,  with  a  broad  grin,  he  whirled  Phil's  re 
linquished  badge  of  authority  about  his  head  in  such 
a  manner  as  gave  the  dogs  to  understand  that  they 
must  now  attend  strictly  to  business  or  take  the  con 
sequences. 


MUSIC   OF   THE    SLEDGE-BELLS  85 

So  Phil  assumed  the  leadership  of  the  expedition,  and 
from  that  moment,  though  always  willing  to  accept  ad 
vice  from  the  others,  he  never  dropped  it. 

When,  shortly  after  three  o'clock,  the  sun  completed 
its  short  course,  and  again  reached  the  southern  hori 
zon,  he  asked  Kurilla  if  it  were  not  about  time  to  make 
camp;  but  the  Indian  answered: 

"  No ;  go  far  as  can  make  dog  plenty  tired.  S'posin' 
no  git  tired  ;  night  come,  run  to  Anvik.  Bad  dog, 
yaas.  Git  tired,  night  come,  no  run,  sleep ;  good  dog, 
yaas." 

"  Oh,  that's  the  scheme,  is  it  ?"  laughed  Phil.  "  Well, 
I  guess  I  can  stand  it  as  long  as  the  rest  can,  though  I 
must  confess  I  am  about  tired  enough  to  rank  with 
the  good  dogs  now." 

So  in  spite  of  lame  ankles,  and  blistering  heels,  and 
toes  that  were  very  tender  from  having  been  repeat 
edly  "  stubbed  "  against  the  snow-shoe  bars,  the  young 
leader  trudged  sturdily  forward,  with  the  dog-teams 
following  close  behind  him.  At  length,  when  the  dusk 
was  merging  into  darkness,  Kurilla  called  out : 

"  Now  camp.     Plenty  wood.     Heap  fire,  yaas." 

They  were  passing  a  spruce -and -hemlock -covered 
point,  against  which  a  pile  of  drift  had  lodged,  and, 
gladly  accepting  the  Indian's  suggestion,  Phil  led  the 
way  towards  it.  Twenty  miles  of  the  journey  had 
been  accomplished,  which,  considering  the  late  start 
and  that  it  was  the  first  day,  was  pronounced  to  be 
very  good  work. 

For  the  next  half-hour  every  one  labored  as  though 
his  very  life  depended  upon  what  he  could  accomplish 
during  those  last  precious  moments  of  fading  twilight. 
Phil  and  Kurilla  made  their  keen  axes  ring  merrily  in 
an  attack  on  the  pile  of  dry  drift-wood.  Chitsah  felled 
a  spruce-tree,  from  which  he  cut  two  logs,  each  six  feet 
long,  and  armful  after  armful  of  small  branches.  Serge 


86  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

erected  a  low  but  stout  scaffold,  on  which  the  sledges 
were  to  be  placed  to  keep  them  out  of  the  way  of  the 
omnivorous  dogs,  who  in  the  meantime  were  lying 
down  in  their  harness  where  they  had  been  halted. 

At  the  end  of  the  half-hour  a  great  back  log  twelve 
feet  long  and  a  smaller  fore  log  had  been  placed  in 
position,  and  enough  dry  wood  collected  to  last  until 
morning.  The  direction  of  the  wind  was  noted,  and 
the  logs  for  the  fire  were  so  laid  that  it  should  blow 
along  their  length,  instead  of  across  them  from  either 
side.  While  Serge  split  kindlings  and  started  his  fire, 
the  two  Indians  unharnessed  the  patient  dogs.  The 
harness,  and  especially  the  whips,  were  hung  well  be 
yond  their  reach,  for  they  will  eagerly  chew  at  the 
former  and  invariably  destroy  the  latter  if  by  any 
means  they  can  get  at  them.  Then  the  hungry  animals 
were  fed,  Serge  leaving  the  fire  to  feed  his  own  team, 
and  Phil  rejoicing  that  he  had  escaped  this  dangerous 
duty.  Each  dog  was  given  a  salmon  weighing  from 
one  pound  and  a  half  to  two  pounds,  and  each,  as  he 
received  his  ration,  gulped  it  down  exactly  as  Arnook 
had  done  on  a  previous  occasion.  They  followed  their 
meal  with  copious  mouthfuls  of  snow  that  served  in 
stead  of  water. 

Serge,  who  naturally  slipped  into  the  position  of 
cook  for  the  party,  returned  to  the  fire,  which  was  now 
blazing  finely  and  sending  a  stream  of  sparks  dancing 
among  the  dark  tree-tops.  Phil  busied  himself  with 
the  bed  that  he  and  Serge  were  to  share,  while  Kurilla 
and  Chitsah  would  make  theirs  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  fire.  He  rolled  one  of  the  green  logs  into  position 
close  beside  the  fire  for  its  foot-board,  and  then  cov 
ered  a  space  some  six  feet  square  behind  it  with  flat 
spruce  boughs,  over  which  he  spread  a  thick  layer  of 
hemlock  tips.  Above  all  he  laid  the  two  great  bear 
skins,  and  on  them  threw  the  two  sleeping-bags,  each 


MUSIC   OF   THE    SLEDGE-BELLS  87 

of  which  had  its  owner's  name  done  in  black  paint  on 
its  white  canvas,  and  contained  his  personal  belongings. 

Everything  needed  for  the  night  being  now  taken 
from  the  sledges,  the  Indians  lifted  them,  with  the  re 
mainder  of  their  loads,  to  the  scaffold,  on  which  were 
also  placed  the  snow-shoes.  Then  they  made  their  own 
bed — a  very  simple  affair  as  compared  with  the  one  con 
structed  by  Phil.  With  this  the  work  of  preparing 
camp  was  finished,  for  in  that  far  north  land  there  is' 
no  pitching  of  tents  by  winter  voyageurs.  These  are 
considered  useless  encumbrances  in  sledge  travel,  where 
every  pound  of  weight  must  be  considered.  They  are 
not  needed  as  a  protection  against  rain,  for  it  is  certain 
that  no  rain  will  fall  with  the  mercury  below  zero,  and 
they  would  be  liable  to  catch  fire  from  the  roaring  blaze 
that  is  kept  up  all  night. 

So  in  the  present  case  there  was  nothing  more  to  be 
done  save  wait  as  patiently  as  might  be  for  supper — and 
this  Phil  declared  to  be  the  hardest  job  he  had  tackled 
that  day. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
WINTER   TRAVEL    BENEATH   THE    ARCTIC    AURORA 

WITH  the  advent  of  darkness  and  the  dying  out  of 
the  wind  there  came  such  an  increase  of  cold  that  from 
all  parts  of  the  forest  were  heard  sharp,  crackling 
sounds  caused  by  the  cruel  pinchings  of  a  bitter  frost. 
Phil  had  thrust  his  thermometer  into  the  snow  at  the 
head  of  his  bed,  and  was  surprised  to  find,  on  looking 
at  it,  that  it  already  registered  fifteen  degrees  below 
zero.  He  had  been  so  warmed  with  violent  exercise 
that  it  had  not  seemed  so  very  cold ;  but  now  he  shiv 
ered  and  drew  closer  to  the  fire. 

For  his  cooking,  Serge  was  first  obliged  to  melt  snow 
in  order  to  obtain  water;  but  now  the  teakettle  was 
singing  merrily,  bacon  and  dried  venison  were  sizzling 
together  in  the  capacious  fry-pan  ;  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  fire  the  two  Indians  were  rapturously  sniffing 
the  delicious  odors  that  came  from  it.  They  were  toast 
ing  a  fat  salmon  impaled  on  a  slender  stick,  and  at 
the  same  time  whetting  their  appetite  by  frequent  bites 
from  a  lump  of  pemmican  that  was  handed  from  one 
to  the  other. 

Phil  asked  for  a  bit  of  this  when  Serge  took  it  from 
its  bag,  for,  he  said,  "  I  have  read  of  pemmican  all  my 
life,  and  from  the  amount  of  praise  bestowed  on  it  by 
the  writers,  think  it  must  be  pretty  fine  eating."  So 
he  tried  it,  took  one  mouthful,  and  flung  the  rest  to 
Musky,  who  had  drawn  close  to  him,  and  was  watching 
his  experiment  with  undisguised  interest. 


WINTER   TRAVEL   BENEATH    THE   ARCTIC   AURORA    89 

"  Whew-w  !"  sputtered  Phil,  ejecting  the  tasteless 
morsel  from  his  mouth.  "  If  that's  pemmicaD,  then 
those  who  like  it  may  keep  it  to  themselves  ;  but  I 
certainly  don't  want  any  more  of  it.  I  suppose, 
though,  it  is  because  my  taste  has  not  been  cultivated 
to  appreciate  it  any  more  than  it  has  raw  seal's  liver 
and  similar  dainties." 

Before  supper  both  Phil  and  Serge  afforded  the  Ind 
ians  considerable  amusement  by  devoting  a  basin  of  the 
precious  water  to  a  thorough  cleansing  of  their  faces 
and  hands.  Kurilla  and  Chitsah  not  only  considered 
this  a  waste  of  time,  water,  and  soap,  but,  as  the  for 
mer  remarked,  with  an  expressive  shake  of  his  head : 

"No  good.  More  clean,  more  quick  git  dirty, 
yaas." 

"Which  sentiment,"  said  Phil,  in  a  low  tone,  to 
Serge,  "  explains  why  Indians  and  Eskimos  and  the 
like  generally  sit  on  one  side  of  the  fire  when  white 
men  occupy  the  other." 

Throwing  a  handful  of  tea  into  the  chynik,  lifting  it 
from  the  fire  the  moment  it  again  came  to  a  boil,  and 
then  setting  it  in  a  warm  place  to  "  draw,"  Serge  next 
removed  the  cooked  meat  from  the  fry -pan  to  a  heated 
plate.  Into  the  hot  grease  that  remained  he  placed  a 
double  handful  of  broken  biscuit,  previously  soaked 
for  a  few  minutes  in  the  brass  kettle.  When  this  had 
absorbed  every  drop  of  grease  and  begun  to  brown,  it 
was  ready  to  be  eaten  with  molasses  as  a  dessert. 

"  One  of  the  very  best  dinners  I  ever  ate  in  all  my 
life,  old  man  !"  declared  Phil,  after  half  an  hour  of  un 
interrupted  devotion  to  plate  and  cup.  "  I  believe  it  is 
fully  equal  to  that  gorgeous  spread  you  had  ready  for 
me  on  Oonimak  after  my  experience  with  the  sea-otter 
hunters.  As  for  the  tea  !  Well,  I  never  realized  be 
fore  what  a  good  thing  tea  is,  and  how  much  a  fellow 
can  drink  of  it.  Have  I  had  six  or  twenty  of  those 


90  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

big  tin  cups  full  ?  No  matter,  it's  either  one  or  the 
other,  and  every  one  of  them  has  gone  right  to  the 
spot  where  it  will  do  the  most  good.  Wouldn't  my 
Aunt  Ruth  be  horrified,  though,  if  she  could  see  us 
dispose  of  that  amount  of  straight  tea  ?  She  used  to 
consider  one  small  cup,  with  plenty  of  milk  in  it, 
about  the  proper  thing  for  a  boy's  daily  allowance. 
But  then  Aunt  Ruth  never  enjoyed  the  advantage  of 
drinking  her  tea  out-of-doors,  with  the  mercury  away 
down  below  freezing." 

"Don't  you  mean  below  zero?"  suggested  Serge, 
who  was  refilling  the  chynik  with  hot  water,  and  set 
ting  it  on  to  boil,  that  what  virtue  still  remained  in  the 
tea-leaves  might  be  extracted  for  the  use  of  the  Ind 
ians. 

"  Certainly  not !"  retorted  Phil.  "Why,  it  has  grown 
at  least  twenty  degrees  warmer  during  the  past  half- 
hour."  So  saying,  he  reached  for  the  thermometer  and 
held  it  to  the  light,  where,  to  his  disgust,  he  saw  that 
it  registered  three  degrees  lower  than  when  he  last 
looked,  or  eighteen  degrees  below  zero.  v 

"  You  prevaricating  old  tin  villyan !"  he  cried.  "You 
are  away  off,  and  you  know  it.  Oh,  if  I  could  only  get 
one  cup  of  that  tea  inside  of  you !  It  would  bring  you 
to  your  senses  quick  enough." 

The  Indians  had  their  own  wooden  bowls,  or  "  kan- 
tags,"  horn  spoons,  and  tin  cups,  and  while  they  ate 
their  supper  they  were  again  amused  by  seeing  Serge 
wash  all  his  dishes  and  cooking  utensils  with  hot, 
soapy  water.  They  allowed  their  favorite  dogs  to  lick 
their  kantags  clean,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
operation  was  quickly  and  thoroughly  performed. 

After  supper  a  line  was  rigged,  and  on  it  were  hung 
mittens,  travelling-boots,  and  the  pads  of  dry  grass  that 
are  worn  inside  of  them  as  insoles.  Serge  set  a  big 
kettle  of  deer  meat,  pemmican,  and  oatmeal  on  the  fire 


WINTER   TRAVEL   BENEATH   THE   ARCTIC   AURORA    91 

to  simmer  into  a  stew  for  breakfast  and  lunch  the  next 
day.  He  also  fixed  a  slab  of  snow  where,  as  it  melted, 
it  would  drip  into  the  teakettle.  By  his  advice  Phil 
bathed  his  swollen  ankles  with  water  as  hot  as  he  could 
bear  it  and  rubbed  tallow  on  the  blistered  places.  This 
treatment  was  to  be  followed  by  a  dash  of  ice-water 
and  a  brisk  rubbing  the  first  thing  in  the  morning. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  fire  the  Indians  indulged  in 
the  long-pipe  smoke  that  after  a  hard  day's  work  af 
fords  the  chief  enjoyment  of  their  monotonous  lives. 
When  it  was  finished  Kurilla  went  out  for  a  final  look 
at  the  sledges  and  dogs,  and  threw  a  couple  more  logs 
on  the  fire.  Then  he  rolled  up  in  his  rabbit-skin  robe 
for  as  many  hours  of  sleep  as  he  could  obtain  before  it 
would  be  necessary  to  again  replenish  the  fire  and  in 
cidentally  to  take  another  smoke. 

Removing  only  their  heavy  outer  parkas,  with  their 
feet  incased  in  soft  arctic  sleeping-socks,  their  heads 
protected  by  close-fitting  fur  caps,  and  sheltered  from 
the  cold  by  the  triple  thickness  of  their  fur-lined  sleep 
ing-bags,  Phil  and  Serge  lay  on  their  bear-skins,  feet  to 
the  fire,  and  slept  the  untroubled  sleep  of  tired  and 
healthy  youth.  About  them  clustered  the  solemn  trees 
of  that  Northern  forest,  just  beyond  lay  the  river  fro 
zen  into  white  silence,  and  above  all  glowed  the  exqui 
site  mysterious  sky-tintings  of  an  aurora,  pervading  all 
space  with  its  flashing  brilliancy  quivering  with  cease 
less  motion,  though  giving  forth  neither  heat  nor  sound 
and  but  little  light.  With  the  rising  moon  frost  crys 
tals  glistened  in  the  air,  and  the  long-drawn  howl  of  a 
wolf  echoed  mournfully  through  the  forest.  Every  dog 
in  the  camp  promptly  answered  it,  while  Kurilla  arose 
with  a  shiver  and  mended  the  fire ;  but  of  all  this  the 
two  lads  lying  side  by  side  on  their  rude  couch  knew 
nothing. 

It  was  Phil  who  first  awoke  and  looked  out  from  his 


92  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

warm  nest.  With  a  shudder  at  the  bitterness  of  the  air 
he  would  have  withdrawn  his  head  and  snuggled  down 
for  another  nap,  but  for  two  thoughts  that  just  then 
flashed  into  his  mind.  One  was  of  his  father,  whom  he 
believed  to  be  encamped  within  one  hundred  miles  or 
so  of  him  on  that  very  river,  and  whom  he  was  bound 
to  overtake.  The  second  thought  was  that  as  leader  of 
the  expedition  it  was  his  place  to  set  the  others  an  ex 
ample.  It  would  be  pleasant  to  lie  there  and  sleep  un 
til  sunrise,  but  braver  to  set  forth  at  once.  In  another 
minute  he  had  struggled  from  the  sleeping-bag,  pulled 
on  his  heavy  parka,  and  was  shouting,  cheerily : 

"  Come,  wake  up !  wake  up  !  Tumble  out,  all  hands ! 
Don't  you  see  the  sun  a-shining,  and  hear  the  little 
birds  a-singing  ?" 

"Looks  more  like  the  moon,  and  sounds  like  dogs," 
growled  Serge,  sleepily,  as  he  sat  up  and  rubbed  his 
eyes.  "  My  !  but  it  is  cold  !" 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Phil.  "  Fifty  below  at  least,  and 
more,  I'll  be  bound." 

It  really  seemed  as  cold  as  that,  and  when  his  ther 
mometer  showed  only  twenty  degrees  below  zero  he  de 
clared  it  to  be  a  fraud,  and  unworthy  of  further  consid 
eration.  None  but  those  who  have  experienced  similar 
conditions  can  imagine  the  misery  of  that  camp-break 
ing  and  getting  under  way.  The  hunting  from  their 
snowy  lairs  and  harnessing  of  unwilling  dogs,  the 
lashing  of  loads  and  the  tying  of  knots  with  numbed 
fingers,  the  longing  to  hug  the  fire  in  one's  arms,  and 
the  hundred  other  forms  of  torture  incident  to  the  re 
lentless  cold,  all  combined  to  give  Phil  a  rude  foretaste 
of  what  that  journey  was  to  be.  Amid  all  the  wretch 
edness  Serge  was,  as  usual,  the  comforter,  and  with  his 
smoking  stew  and  hot  tea  did  much  towards  restoring 
cheerfulness. 

It  wanted  some  hours  to  sunrise  when  the  sledges 


WINTER   TKAVKL   BENEATH    THE   ARCTIC   AURORA    93 

pulled  out  from  camp,  regained  the  river,  and  resumed 
their  northward  journey.  The  sky  was  overcast,  and 
an  ominous  moaning  sounded  through  the  forest. 
Soon  a  breeze  began  to  blow  in  angry  gusts  full  in  the 
faces  of  our  travellers,  and  by  sunrise  it  was  sweeping 
furiously  down  the  river,  whirling  the  dry  snow  in 
blinding  clouds  and  driving  the  icy  particles  with 
stinging  force  into  face  and  eyes.  Noses  and  cheeks 
became  white  and  numb,  the  deadly  cold  was  driven 
through  fur  and  flannel  until  it  penetrated  the  very 
marrow.  Even  the  dogs  plodded  on  with  lowered 
heads  and  pitiful  whimperings,  while  their  masters 
were  obliged  to  turn  their  backs  to  the  gale  every  few 
minutes  for  breath  and  a  momentary  respite  from  the 
fierce  struggle. 

"  'Tis  poorga — yaas  !"  shouted  Kurilla. 

"  Aye,  poorga  /"  answered  Serge,  and  for  the  first 
time  Phil  comprehended  the  full  significance  of  the 
terrible  word  which  means  the  wind  of  death. 

By  noon  human  endurance  could  hold  out  no  longer, 
and,  ready  to  drop  with  cold,  pain,  and  exhaustion, 
Phil  led  his  train  to  camp  in  a  belt  of  timber  so  thick 
that  even  that  fierce  wind  could  not  penetrate  it, 
though  among  the  tree-tops  it  shrieked  and  howled 
with  demoniac  fury. 

Thus  from  camp  to  camp,  through  sunshine  and 
darkness,  storm  and  calm,  stinging  cold  and  whirling 
snows,  the  little  party  toiled  onward,  making  twenty, 
thirty,  and  as  high  as  forty  miles  a  day.  They  passed 
the  Indian  settlement  of  Nulato,  once  a  noted  Russian 
trading-post,  at  the  end  of  ten  days'  travel,  and  a  week 
later  gained  the  mission  station  of  old  Fort  Adams, 
four  hundred  miles  from  their  point  of  departure.  At 
several  Indian  villages  they  had  heard  of  the  party  in 
advance  of  them,  whose  camps  they  also  sometimes 
found.  The  trail  was  growing  fresh,  and  at  Fort 


94  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

Adams  they  expected  to  gain  definite  information  of 
those  whom  they  sought,  if  indeed  they  did  not  over 
take  them  at  that  point.  At  any  rate,  they  would  find 
a  missionary  there  from  whom  they  would  surely  re 
ceive  news. 

The  first  word  obtained  by  Kurilla  from  the  mission 
Indians,  who  swarmed  forth  to  greet  them,  was  that 
the  missionary  was  absent,  and  that  those  whom  they 
sought  had  passed  only  the  day  before.  The  second 
was  that  one  of  that  party  had  returned  but  an  hour 
previous,  and  was  even  now  in  the  missionary's  house. 

"You  fadder,  yaas,"  added  Kurilla,  reassuringly, 
with  a  grin  of  delight,  as  he  led  Phil  in  that  direction. 

With  a  loudly  beating  heart  the  excited  lad  opened 
the  door.  There  sat  a  man — a  white  man — in  an  atti 
tude  of  the  deepest  dejection.  He  was  long  and  lank. 
His  fur  garments  ill  became  him.  Phil's  heart  sank  ; 
for  in  this  uncouth  figure  there  was  no  trace"  of  his 
own  dear  father.  Then,  as  the  woe-begone  face  was 
slowly  turned  to  meet  his,  he  uttered  a  gasping  shout 
of  amazed  recognition. 

"  Jalap  Coombs,  by  all  that  is  wonderful !" 


"  YOU    FADDER,   YAAS  " 


CHAPTER    XV 
PHIL    HEARS    FROM    HIS   FATHER 

MONTHS  before  Phil  and  Serge  had  bidden  farewell 
to  Jalap  Coombs  in  an  ancient  barrabkie  on  Oonimak 
Island.  They  believed  they  were  only  leaving  him  for 
a  short  time,  but  on  their  return  he  had  disappeared, 
nor  from  that  day  to  this  had  they  learned  anything 
concerning  him.  Now,  to  have  him  reappear  in  this 
mysterious  manner  in  an  Indian  village  hundreds  of 
miles  up  the  Yukon  River,  apparently  friendless  and 
alone,  was  so  incredible  that,  after  his  first  exclama 
tion,  Phil  stepped  closer  and  took  another  look  at  the 
weather-beaten  face  to  establish  its  identity  beyond  a 
doubt. 

"  Oh,  it's  me,  son !  It's  me,  fast  enough !"  cried  the 
ex-mate  of  the  Seamew,  in  a  voice  that  trembled  with 
joyful  emotion,  as  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  grasped 
Phil's  hand  in  his.  At  the  same  time  a  suspicious  dim 
ness  came  into  his  eyes  that  he  brushed  away  hastily. 

"  It's  the  same  old  Jalap,"  he  continued,  "  and  only 
one  minute  ago  he  were  about  as  forlorn  and  miserable 
a  sailor-man  as  ever  were  stranded  a  thousand  miles  from 
salt  water.  Now,  seeing  that  in  sich  a  short  space  of 
time  he's  been  h'isted  from  the  hold  of  grief  to  the 
main-r'yal  mast-head  of  happiness  by  the  sight  of  your 
blessed  phiz,  ye  mustn't  be  surprised  to  find  his  rig 
ging  at  loose  ends  and  decks  ginerally  cluttered  up. 
But  the  squall's  blown  over,  lad.  You've  brought  fair 
weather,  and  I'll  have  the  old  packet  ship-shape  and 


96  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

Bristol  fashion  again  in  a  shake.  What  I  sartainly 
orter  done  was  to  remember  my  old  friend  Kite  Rob- 
erson's  advice  consarniug  squalls.  I've  spoke  to  ye  of 
old  Kite  afore,  hain't  I  ?" 

"  The  name  sounds  familiar,"  replied  Phil.  "  But 
how  in  the  name  of — " 

"  Waal,  ef  I  didn't  I'd  orter,  for  Kite  were  one  of  the 
finest  of  men.  Why,  me  and  him — " 

"  Oh  yes,  now  I  remember,"  assented  Phil.  "  What 
did  he  say  about  squalls  ?" 

"  That  in  all  his  experience  he  never  see  a  squall  so 
heavy  but  what  fair  weather  'd  come  after  it  sooner  or 
later.  But  Phil,  my  son,  where  hev  you  dropped  from? 
Where's  your  shipmate?  And  where's  that  bloomin' 
shark  of  a  cap'n  what  carried  ye  off  right  from  under 
your  own  father's  very  eyes?" 

'<  My  father  !"  shouted  Phil.  "  What  do  you  know 
about  my  father  ?  Have  you  ever  seen  him  ?  Where 
is  he  ?  Has  he  gone  on  up  the  river  ?" 

"Yes,"  cried  Serge,  entering  at  that  moment  and 
greeting  his  old  friend  with  extended  hand  ;  "  that  is 
what  we  want  to  know  first  of  all.  Where  is  Mr. 
Ryder  ?  They  told  me  he  was  in  here  with  Phil,  so  I 
waited  outside  until  certain  that  the  only  other  voice 
was  yours,  and  then  I  ventured  in." 

"  Of  course  ye  did,  and  I'm  prouder  to  see  you  than 
ef  ye  were  the  King  of  all  the  Rooshias  and  Chiny  to 
boot.  But  consarning  your  father,  Phil.  Have  I  ever 
seed  him,  say  you  ?  Waal,  occasionally,  considering  as 
me  and  him  cruised  together  for  nigh  two  months  in 
Bering  Sea  sarching  for  you  boys.  When  we  finally 
come  up  with  ye  in  Norton  Sound  and  see  that  you 
were  steaming  right  ahead,  paying  no  attention  to  sig 
nals,  it  mighty  nigh  broke  your  father's  heart.  It 
stopped  a  bit  short  of  that,  though,  and  only  broke  his 
leg  instead,  at  which  the  swab  as  were  steering  run  the 


PHIL   HEAKS   FROM    HIS    FATHER  97 

schooner  aground  on  a  mud  bank.  Then  by  the  time 
I'd  got  Mr.  Ryder  below  and  come  on  deck  again  you 
were  hull  down." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  my  father  actually  broke  one  of 
his  legs  ?"  queried  Phil,  who  could  not  believe  he  had 
heard  aright. 

"  Sartain  I  do,"  was  the  answer.  "  You  see,  we  were 
aboard  an  old  tub  named  Philomeel,  which  we  had 
chartered  her  in  Oonalaska  for  a  cruise  to  Oonimak 
to  pick  you  up.  Thar  we  fell  in  with  a  revenoo-cutter, 
and  she  sent  us  up  to  the  islands." 

"Not  thePAocal"' 

"The  very  same,  with  Miss  May  and  Cap'n  Mat 
thews  in  command.  At  the  islands  we  heerd  of  ye 
through  an  Injin  chap  who  had  piloted  your  ship." 

"Nikrik  !"  exclaimed  Serge. 

"Nikrik  were  his  name,"  assented  Jalap  Coombs. 
"  So  we  give  chase,  laid  a  course  for  St.  Michaels,  and 
got  there  in  time  for  Mr.  Ryder  to  make  you  out 
through  his  glass.  Then  he  thought  he  had  ye  for 
sure,  though  I  give  him  one  of  old  Kite  Roberson's 
warnings.  But  he  didn't  take  no  notice,  and  were 
climbing  the  main  rigging  to  make  a  signal  for  ye  to 
heave  to,  when  a  ratlin'  give  way  and  dropped  him  on 
deck.  The  man  at  the  wheel  jumped  to  save  him,  and 
so  did  I,  but  it  warn't  no  use.  He'd  broke  his  leg, 
and  the  old  Philomeel  took  a  sheer  into  the  mud." 

"Poor  father!"  sighed  Phil.  "Now  I  know  why 
I've  been  worrying  about  him.  I  can't  understand, 
though,  how  he  could  undertake  such  a  terrible  jour 
ney  with  a  broken  leg." 

"Why  not?  They  made  him  as  comfortable  as  ef 
he  were  in  his  own  home.  Besides,  there  warn't  noth 
ing  else  to  be  did." 

"  Comfortable  !  with  a  broken  leg,  on  a  dog-sledge 
trip  of  a  thousand  miles  through  an  arctic  wilderness 


98  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

in  midwinter  !"  cried  Phil.  "  Seems  to  me  any  one 
who  could  find  comfort  under  those  conditions  might 
live  in  luxury  on  an  iceberg  in  the  Polar  Sea." 

"  Which  it  has  been  did,"  replied  the  mate,  gravely. 
"  But  it  begins  to  look  as  ef  me  and  you  was  sailing 
on  different  tacks.  Where  is  it  that  you  suppose  your 
father  to  be  at  this  blessed  minute  ?" 

"  Somewhere  on  the  Yukon,  not  more  than  a  day's 
journey  from  here,  though  when  I  entered  this  room 
just  now  I  fully  expected  to  see  him,"  replied  Phil, 
who  had  so  long  cherished  the  hope  of  a  speedy  meet 
ing  with  his  father  that  he  could  not  even  relinquish 
the  idea  of  his  proximity. 

"  Yes,"  added  Serge,  "  that  is  what  we  were  told, 
and  we  have  come  nearly  four  hundred  miles  up  the 
river  in  search  of  him." 

It  was  now  Jalap  Coombs's  turn  to  stare  in  amaze 
ment.  At  length  he  said  -.  "  So  you're  spending  the 
winter  up  here  hunting  him,  be  ye,  while  he  spent  the 
best  part  of  the  summer  down  there  hunting  you  ? 
Seems  to  me  it's  a  leetle  the  most  mixed-up  hunting  I 
ever  were  consarned  in.  But  it  only  goes  to  prove 
what  my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  offen  say. 
He  useter  say,  Kite  did,  that  the  best  way  to  find  a 
man  is  to  set  still  in  some  likely  place  till  he  comes 
by ;  but  I  never  could  hardly  believe  it  till  this  min 
ute.  Now  I  can  see  that  ef  Phil  had  set  in  Victoria 
his  father  would  have  found  him.  Ef  he'd  set  on  the 
Seamew  he'd  found  his  father  in  Sitka.  Ef  he'd  set 
on  the  cutter  they'd  met  at  Oonimak.  Ef  he'd  set  at 
the  islands  he'd  seen  his  father  come  that  way  afore 
long,  and  the  same  at  the  Redoubt.  Likewise  ef  Mr. 
Ryder  had  set  at  St.  Michaels  in  place  of  going  to  San 
Francisco  on  the  Hear,  Phil  would  find  him  there  when 
he  goes  back  from  here.  Yes,  old  Kite  were  a  wiser 
man  than  most,  though  you'd  never  believe  it  to  see  him." 


PHIL   HEARS   FROM    HIS    FATHER  99 

"  You  say  that  my  father  has  gone  to  San  Francisco. 
Why  did  he  do  that  ?"  queried  the  still  bewildered 
boy. 

"  To  dock  for  repairs.  You  see,  the  Bear  were  the 
last  ship  of  the  season  to  go  out,  and  so  she  were  his 
only  chance.  She  had  a  wracked  crew  aboard  as  were 
willing  to  carry  the  Philomeel  back  to  Oonalaska,  and 
that  left  me  free  to  continue  the  search  for  you  boys." 

"  Well,"  said  Phil,  "  of  course  it's  an  awful  disap 
pointment  to  find  that  I'm  not  to  meet  my  father — at 
least,  not  for  some  months  to  come — after  all  the  trouble 
I've  taken  to  find  him.  At  the  same  time  I  am  glad  to 
know  that  he  is  safely  out  of  this  country  for  the  winter, 
even  if  it  did  take  a  broken  leg  to  persuade  him  of  the 
foolishness  of  hunting  for  me.  I  should  think  he  might 
have  found  out  long  before  that,  though,  how  well  able 
Serge  and  I  were  to  take  care  of  ourselves.  Poor  dear 
pop !  How  he  must  have  suffered  !  I  only  hope  he 
will  stay  quietly  in  San  Francisco  until  I  can  get  to 
him.  Did  he  say  how  long  he  would  wait  there  ?" 

"  Only  till  sich  time  as  he  got  his  leg  spliced  and  is 
able  to  travel.  Then  he's  got  to  come  back  to  Sitka 
and  settle  up  his  business." 

"In  that  case  things  are  working  out  all  right,  after 
all,"  said  Phil,  "for  Sitka  is  the  very  place  we  are 
bound  for  at  this  very  minute." 

"  But  he  warn't  going  to  stop  there,"  continued  Jal 
ap  Coombs,  "  only  till  the  first  spring  ship  left  for  St. 
Michaels,  when  he  reckoned  to  take  passage  on  her  and 
come  up  after  you." 

"But  how  did  he  expect  to  find  us  at  St.  Michaels 
in  the  spring  when  he  knew  we  left  there  in  Septem 
ber?" 

"  Because  the  very  cruise  I'm  shipped  for  is  to  find 
you,  pilot  you  back  there,  and  moor  alongside  of  ye  till 
he  heaves  in  sight  again.  You  see,  he's  taken  a  notion 


100  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

that  he'd  like  to  come  up  the  river  and  have  a  look  at 
the  diggings,  which  he  don't  feel  that  he  can  till  he  has 
you  once  more  in  tow.  So,  seeing  as  I  were  out  of  a 
berth  for  the  winter,  and  we  heerd  as  you  were  froze 
in  somewheres  up  here  on  the  river,  I  took  the  contract 
to  hunt  ye  and  fetch  ye  back.  I'll  allow,  though,  that 
things  was  looking  pretty  dubious  for  me  awhile  ago, 
and  ef  you  hadn't  hove  in  sight  as  ye  did  I'd  been  all 
at  sea  without  compass  or  yet  a  chart.  Now,  though, 
it's  all  plain  sailing  again,  and — " 

"  Is  it  ?"  interrupted  Phil.  "  Seems  to  me  this  whole 
affair  is  about  as  completely  snarled  as  any  I  ever  had 
anything  to  do  with,  unless  it  was  a  fighting  dog-team. 
To  begin  with —  But,  I  say,  suppose  we  have  supper 
first  and  discuss  the  situation  afterwards.  I  for  one  am 
too  hungry  to  think." 

"  If  you  are  any  more  hungry  than  I  am  you  are  hun 
gry  enough  to  be  dangerous,"  laughed  Serge  ;  while 
Jalap  Coombs  remarked  that  supper  was  the  very  thing 
he  was  considering  when  Phil  entered  the  room.  "And 
a  mighty  poor  lookout  it  were,"  he  added,  "  for  I  hadn't 
any  grub,  nor  didn't  know  the  best  place  to  steal  any, 
nor  yet  warn't  quite  hungry  enough  to  steal  a  supper 
anyway.  So  I  were  jest  concluding  to  go  without, 
same  as  I  did  for  dinner.  But  ef  you  boys  has  got  any 
thing  to  eat — " 

"  Have  we  ?"  cried  Phil ;  "  you  just  wait  and  see. 
Serge,  did  you  know  this  was  Christmas  Day  ?" 

"  No,"  laughed  Serge,  "  for  it  isn't." 

"  Well,  it  is  so  near  to  it,  and  this  meeting  is  such  a 
joyous  occasion,  that  I  move  we  trot  out  our  mince- 
pies,  and  plum-puddings,  and  roast  turkeys,  and  pem- 
mican,  and  things,  and  have  a  regular  Christmas  blow 
out.  That  is,  always  supposing  that  Mr.  Coombs  will 
loan  us  the  use  of  his  house.  This  is  your  house,  is  it 
not,  Mr.  Coombs  ?" 


PHIL   HEARS    FROM    HIS    FATHER  101 

"  Sartain  it  is,"  replied  the  mate,  with  a  grin,  and 
entering  fully  into  Phil's  absurdities.  "Leastways, 
there  ain't  no  one  come  to  turn  me  out  of  it  yet.  So 
you're  as  welcome  to  it  as  I  be.  For,  as  old  Kite  Rob- 
erson  useter  say — " 

"Let's  have  him  for  dessert,"  laughed  Phil,  as  he 
started  outside  to  discover  what  had  become  of  the 
sledges. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
THE  MATE'S  STOBY 

IT  is  doubtful  if  there  was  a  happier  party  in  the 
Yukon  Valley,  or  even  in  all  Alaska,  than  that  which 
unbidden,  though  none  the  less  certain  of  their  wel 
come,  took  possession  of  the  mission-house  at  old  Fort 
Adams  that  roaring  December  night.  Certainly  no 
one  could  be  happier  than  was  Jalap  Coombs  at  this 
meeting  with  the  boys  in  whose  fortunes  his  had  be 
come  so  strangely  involved.  At  the  time  of  their  op 
portune  appearance  he  was  in  one  of  the  most  unhappy 
and  perplexing  predicaments  of  his  whole  checkered 
career  ;  but  now  his  troubles  were  blown  away  like  a 
morning  mist,  and  already  wellnigh  forgotten. 

When  the  schooner  Philomel,  finally  released  from 
the  bank  on  which  she  had  grounded,  reached  St.  Mi 
chaels,  Mr.  Ryder  was  greatly  distressed  by  the  ac 
counts  given  him  of  the  expedition  on  which  Phil  and 
Serge  had  embarked.  Knowing  nothing  of  the  condi 
tions  under  which  they  had  been  so  glad  to  accept  the 
friendly  offer  of  a  roundabout  passage  to  Sitka,  and  re 
ceiving  a  cruelly  false  impression  of  Gerald  Hamer's 
character  as  well  as  of  his  objects  in  ascending  the  Yu 
kon,  he  concluded  that  the  boys  had  been  trapped  into 
a  reckless  venture,  which  could  only  lead  them  to  dis 
aster  and  suffering.  In  fancy  he  saw  them  imprisoned 
by  an  arctic  winter  on  a  wretchedly  constructed  and 
poorly  equipped  boat,  as  the  Ghimo  was  described  to 
him,  or  in  some  squalid  Indian  village,  confronted  by 


THE  MATE'S  STORY  103 

freezing,  starvation,  and  disease,  remote  from  human 
aid  and  without  the  means  of  escape. 

Bitterly  did  he  deplore  the  accident  that  prevented 
him  from  organizing  a  relief  party  and  going  in  person 
to  their  rescue.  When,  on  the  day  after  his  own  arri 
val,  the  revenue-cutter  Sear  touched  at  St.  Michaels  on 
her  way  south  and  her  commander  offered  him  a  pas 
sage  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  could  receive  the  sur 
gical  attendance  he  so  greatly  needed,  he  at  first  refused, 
declaring  that  nothing  would  induce  him  to  leave  the 
country  without  his  boy  Phil. 

Then  it  was  that  Jalap  Coombs  offered  to  remain  in 
his  place,  make  an  overland  trip  to  the  Yukon  as  soon 
as  winter  travel  should  be  practicable,  find  the  boys, 
and  bring  them  back  to  St.  Michaels,  there  to  await 
Mr.  Ryder's  return  in  the  spring. 

"  But  you  know  nothing  of  the  country  nor  of  sledge 
travel,"  objected  the  latter.  "  You  will  not  even  know 
on  what  portion  of  the  river  to  look  for  the  boys. 
And,  besides,  what  shall  we  do  with  the  Philomel, 
which  has  already  cost  me  more  than  I  can  well  af 
ford?" 

"  It  is  true,  sir,  as  you  say,  that  I  am  ignorant  of  the 
cruising-ground,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  "but  I'd  be 
a  poor  sailor-man  ef  with  chart  and  compass  I  couldn't 
make  out  to  lay  a  course.  Also,  I've  heerd  of  a  party 
as  expects  to  start  from  here  on  a  visit  to  all  the  up- 
river  trading-stations  as  soon  as  the  season  for  sledge 
navigation  opens,  and  I  reckon  there  wouldn't  be  no  dif 
ficulty  about  me  shipping  with  them  as  extry  hand. 

"  As  for  driving  dogs,  my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson 
useter  say  that  a  man  can  1'arn  any  trade  ef  he  has  to. 
At  the  same  time  I'm  considerable  handy  with  both 
belaying-pins  and  rope-ends,  which,  I  take  it,  would  be 
jest  as  improving  to  the  usefulness  of  dogs  as  to  a  crew 
of  swabs.  When  it  comes  to  getting  the  bearings  of  the 


104  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

port  in  which  the  lads  are  laid  by  for  the  winter,  that 
would  seem  to  be  a  case  of  the  plainest  kind  of  sailing. 
They're  bound  to  be  friz  in  afore  long,  even  ef  their 
old  kettle  doesn't  break  down  and  leave  'em  stranded, 
which  it's  likely  it  will.  Waal,  then,  I  strikes  across 
country  from  here  to  the  river,  and  says  to  the  naty ves 
what  lives  on  its  banks  :  '  Has  sich  and  sich  a  steamer 
gone  up  stream  ?'  says  I ;  which  ef  they  answers  si,  or 
oui,  orja,  or  whatever  stands  for  yes  in  their  lingo,  I 
likewise  goes  on  up.  Ef  they  shakes  their  heads, 
which  is  '  No '  the  world  over,  then  I  naturally  goes 
down,  and  keeps  on  down  till  I  meets  her." 

In  spite  of  his  present  pain  and  mental  distress  Mr. 
Ryder  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  readiness  with 
which  the  simple-minded  sailor  thus  disposed  of  diffi 
culties  that  to  most  people  would  appear  insurmount 
able.  "But  what  shall  we  do  with  the  Philomel?"  he 
asked,  after  a  few  moments'  consideration. 

"Send  her  back  to  Oonalaska  in  charge  of  the 
wracked  whaling  cap'n  what  has  just  come  in  on  the 
Sear.  He'll  take  her  and  be  glad  of  the  job,  for  I've 
already  sounded  him." 

The  more  Mr.  Ryder  thought  over  the  plan  thus  pro 
posed  by  the  man  who  had  already  proved  himself  so 
capable,  so  loyal,  and  so  stanch  a  friend  of  the  lost 
boys,  the  more  favorably  he  was  inclined  towards  it, 
and  at  length  he  decided  to  accept  the  mate's  proffered 
services.  So  with  many  parting  injunctions,  and  leav 
ing  with  him  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  defray  his 
share  of  expenses  in  the  proposed  expedition,  Phil's 
father  sailed  away  on  the  Sear  in  search  of  the  medi 
cal  aid  that  should  enable  him  to  return  a  few  months 
later,  and  undertake,  in  company  with  his  boy,  a  long- 
cherished  scheme  of  exploration  among  the  fabled  gold- 
fields  of  the  interior. 

Some  six  weeks  later  Jalap  Coombs  also  set  forth 


THE  MATE'S  STOKY  105 

from  St.  Michaels  in  company  with  two  white  men, 
both  of  whom  expressed  an  ardent  admiration  for  Phil 
Ryder,  and  great  joy  at  the  prospect  of  assisting  in  his 
rescue  from  the  wiles  of  the  unprincipled  trader  who 
had  lured  him  away.  Under  their  direction  the  con 
fiding  sailor  invested  the  entire  sum  left  him  by  Mr. 
Ryder  in  dogs,  sledges,  and  provisions.  He  was  amazed 
at  the  exorbitant  prices  charged  him  for  these  things, 
and  was  still  more  so  to  discover,  when  a  few  days  out 
from  the  fort,  that  with  all  his  outlay  he  was  credited 
with  but  one  team  and  a  single  sledge-load  of  provi 
sions,  which  he  soon  found  himself  exchanging  for  fish 
with  which  to  feed  his  dogs. 

Furthermore,  as  he  had  been  unable  to  master  the 
art  of  dog-driving,  his  obliging  friends  had  engaged 
for  him  an  Indian,  who  began  to  demand  his  wages  at 
the  end  of  the  first  week,  refused  to  work  unless  he 
was  paid  in  advance,  and  persisted  in  his  demands  with 
such  insolence  that  the  mate  finally  felt  himself  obliged 
to  administer  what  he  called  a  dose  of  belaying-pins 
and  rope-ends.  The  effect  of  this  was  a  future  obe 
dience  to  orders,  accompanied  by  a  sullen  hatred, 
which  Jalap's  white  companions  seemed  to  take  a  ma 
licious  delight  in  encouraging. 

This  sledge  party  went  north  along  the  coast  from 
St.  Michaels  to  the  mouth  of  the  TJnalaklik  River, 
and  followed  up  that  stream  for  several  days.  Then, 
crossing  a  divide,  they  struck  the  Yukon  at  a  point 
near  Nulato.  Here  they  were  told  that  a  steamer, 
supposed  to  be  the  Chimo,  had  passed  on  her  way 
up  the  river  several  days  before  the  close  of  navi 
gation. 

By  this  time  the  relations  between  poor  Jalap  and 
his  companions  had  become  so  very  unpleasant  that  he 
had  hoped  for  an  excuse  to  leave  them,  and  go  down 
the  river  from  Nulato.  As  it  was,  he  now  felt  obliged 


106  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

to  continue  in  their  company  until  the  Chimo  should 
be  overtaken. 

At  old  Fort  Adams,  after  conferring  with  the  natives, 
his  fellow-travellers  informed  him  that  the  steamer 
was  frozen  in  about  one  day's  march  above  that  place, 
and  with  a  lighter  heart  than  he  had  known  since  be 
ginning  the  weary  journey,  he  again  set  forth  with 
them,  filled  with  eager  anticipations.  When  just  at 
dusk  of  that  same  day  they  discovered  a  steamer  snugly 
moored  to  the  bank,  he  read  her  name  with  a  sinking 
heart,  for,  instead  of  Chimo,  it  was  St.  Michaels,  which 
he  knew  to  be  the  name  of  a  boat  belonging  to  a  Catho 
lic  mission  on  the  lower  river.  Moreover,  she  was 
boarded  up  and  deserted. 

As  Jalap's  companions  noted  his  expression  of  dis 
may,  they  uttered  shouts  of  mocking  laughter,  and 
asked  what  else  he  had  expected  when  the  Fort  Adams 
Indians  had  mentioned  that  very  name  so  plainly  that 
a  deaf  man  ought  to  have  understood  it. 

In  camp  that  night  the  sailor  announced  his  inten 
tion  of  starting  back  down  the  river  at  daybreak,  at 
which  the  others  only  exchanged  significant  glances, 
but  said  nothing.  In  the  morning,  after  the  sledges 
were  loaded  and  the  dogs  harnessed,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  driver  of  his  sledge  was  missing.  Telling  him 
that  he  was  thus  rightly  served  for  chastising  the  poor 
man,  the  others  cracked  their  whips  and  started  off  up 
the  river,  leaving  poor  Jalap  standing  on  its  bank  help 
less  and  alone.  A  few  moments  later,  at  the  sound  of 
a  familiar  whistle  from  the  direction  they  had  taken, 
his  dogs  started  after  their  vanished  companions,  carry 
ing  with  them  his  entire  outfit. 

With  feet  so  badly  used  up  from  weeks  of  unaccus 
tomed  snow-shoeing  that  every  step  was  torture,  the 
deserted  man  at  once  realized  the  folly  of  pursuit,  and 
with  a  heavy  heart  began  to  retrace  his  slow  way  to 


A    FEW    MOMENTS    LATER    HIS   DOGS    STARTED    AFTER   THEIR    VANISHED    COM 
PANIONS 


THE  MATE'S  STORY  107 

old  Fort  Adams.  Reaching  the  mission  completely 
exhausted,  and  unable  to  proceed  farther,  he  had  taken 
possession  of  the  missionary's  house.  Here,  suffering, 
penniless,  friendless,  and  almost  hopeless,  he  was  trying 
to  form  some  plan  for  the  future,  when  the  door  opened, 
and,  as  he  afterwards  quaintly  said,  "Ef  the  good  little 
cherub  what  sets  up  aloft  watching  over  poor  Jack  at 
sea  had  flowed  in  at  that  minute,  I  couldn't  been  better 
pleased  than  I  were  to  sight  the  blessed  phiz  of  that 
precious  young  rascal,  Phil  Ryder." 

Such  was  the  tale  related  by  Jalap  Coombs  to  Phil 
and  Serge  after  the  three  had  finished  a  dinner  that  in 
cluded  every  luxury  in  the  outfit  of  our  young  travel 
lers,  and  between  long,  grateful  pulls  at  "old  com 
fort,"  his  pipe,  which  they  had  also  provided  with 
tobacco. 

When  the  story  was  ended,  Phil  indignantly  de 
manded  to  know  the  names  of  the  two  white  men  who 
claimed  acquaintance  with  him  and  at  the  same  time 
dared  treat  his  old  friend  so  shamefully. 

"  Simon  Goldollar  were  the  name  of  one." 

"I  might  have  known  it  —  the  sneak!"  broke  in 
Phil. 

"  And  the  other  are  called  Strengel." 

"The  very  scoundrel  that  I  set  ashore  from  the 
Chimo  for  trying  to  blow  her  up  !"  cried  Phil.  "You 
remember,  Serge  ?" 

"  I  should  rather  say  I  did !"  replied  the  young  Rus- 
so- American,  his  honest  face  flushing  with  anger. 

"But  what  are  they  going  up  the  river  for,  Mr. 
Coombs?" 

"  To  spile  Cap'n  Hamer's  chance  of  doing  any  trad 
ing  at  Forty  Mile,  as  fur  as  I  could  make  out,"  replied 
the  mate. 

"  Oh,  the  villains !"  exclaimed  Phil.  "  And  they  have 
got  two  days'  start  of  us,  too,  while  you  are  almost  un- 


108  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

fit  for  travel.  Hold  on,  though !  I  have  it !  We  can 
do  the  trick  yet,  and  give  them  a  lesson  in  minding 
their  own  business.  Hurrah  for  our  side,  after  all ! 
Serge,  hurrah !  quick,  before  I  fling  something  at  you." 


CHAPTER   XVII 
JALAP    COOMBS'S   FOURTEEN   PAIR    OP   FEET 

"  OF  course,  Mr.  Coombs,  you  can't  expect  us  to  go 
back  to  St.  Michaels  now,"  began  Phil,  as  a  prelimi 
nary  to  unfolding  his  scheme  for  the  discomfiture  of 
Simon  Goldollar  and  his  unprincipled  companion. 

"  Why  not  ?"  demanded  the  sailor,  who  had  not  for 
a  moment  expected  anything  else.  "As  soon  as  I  found 
ye  I  were  to  bring  ye  to  St.  Michaels,  and  keep  ye 
there  till  your  father  comes.  Them's  orders,  and  to 
disobey  'em  would  be  mutiny,  nigh  as  I  kin  make  out." 

"That  would  be  all  right  if  you  had  found  us;  but 
you  haven't." 

"  Eh  ?"  queried  Jalap  Coombs.    "  I  hain't  found  ye  ?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  laughed  Phil.  "  Instead  of  you 
finding  us,  we  have  found  you.  If  you  had  struck  us 
at  Anvik,  it  is  possible  that  we  might  have  gone  back 
with  you,  but  as  we  have  found  you  some  four  hun 
dred  miles  from  there,  we  shall  certainly  do  nothing 
of  the  kind.  You  see,  to  begin  with,  we  are  under  the 
greatest  of  obligations  to  Captain  Hamer,  who,  by-the- 
way,  is  one  of  the  finest  men  I  ever  met." 

Here  Phil  told  of  the  terrible  experience  he  and 
Serge  had  undergone  in  Bering  Sea,  and  of  their  gal 
lant  rescue  by  Gerald  Hamer,  all  of  which  the  absorbed 
listener  now  heard  for  the  first  time. 

"Now,"  continued  the  lad,  "we  have  left  him  just 
recovering  from  a  dangerous  illness,  and  unfitted  to 
travel  for  some  months.  If  he  can't  get  word  out  to 


110  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

the  coast  before  spring  he  will  be  a  heavy  loser.  So 
Serge  and  I  have  undertaken  to  carry  and  deliver  the 
message  for  him.  Our  entire  outfit,  down  to  the  very 
clothing  we  wear,  was  furnished  by  him  on  that  con 
dition.  It  is  also  our  duty  to  try  and  defeat  the  plans 
of  his  enemies,  who  are  also  our  enemies,  and  now 
seem  to  have  become  yours  as  well.  So  you  see  we 
are  in  honor  bound  to  push  on  with  all  speed.  Be 
sides  all  this,  we  certainly  ought  to  be  able  to  reach 
Sitka  long  before  my  father  can  get  away  from  there, 
and  so  save  him  a  long,  tedious,  and  useless  journey." 

"  I'm  not  so  sartain  of  that,"  demurred  Jalap  Coombs. 
"  For  ye've  been  trying  to  make  Sitka  long  's  ever  I've 
knowed  ye,  which  is  going  on  a  year  now,  and  hain't 
come  anywhere  nigh  to  it  yet.  Still,  as  my  old  friend 
Kite  Roberson  useter  say,  '  Jalap,  my  son,  allers  steer 
by  sarcumstances  ;  for  as  a  gineral  thing  they'll  p'int 
straighter  'n  a  compass,'  and  I  am  free  to  admit  that 
your  present  sarcumstances  is  p'inting  pretty  direct 
towards  Sitka.  But  how  do  ye  propose  to  sarcum- 
vent  the  villyans  what  run  off  with  my  dogs  ?" 

"Now  you  are  talking  straight  business,"  laughed 
Phil.  "As  I  understand  it,  the  main  object  of  those 
fellows  is  to  capture  the  next  season's  trade  of  the  Yu 
kon  Valley,  and  especially  of  the  diggings  at  Forty 
Mile,  by  taking  advance  orders  at  lower  rates  than  the 
old  company  has  ever  before  offered.  Even  then  their 
prices  are  certain  to  be  exorbitant,  and  with  Gerald 
Hamer's  list  I  am  certain  I  can  underbid  them.  But 
that  won't  be  of  any  use  unless  we  can  be  first  in  the 
field,  for  after  the  orders  are  given  and  contracts  signed 
those  other  chaps  could  laugh  at  us  and  our  prices.  So 
our  only  hope  is  to  reach  Forty  Mile  ahead  of  them." 

"Which  ye  can't  do  it  without  wings  or  steam," 
objected  Jalap  Coombs,  "  seeing  as  they  has  got  two 
good  days'  start  on  ye." 


JALAP  COOMBS'S  FOURTEEN  PAIR  OF  FEET   111 

"  I  wouldn't  care  if  they  had  six  days'  start,"  an 
swered  Phil.  "  I  am  confident  that  we  could  still  beat 
them  with  just  ordinary  snow-shoes  and  sledges  and 
plain  every -day  North  American  dogs.  They  have 
gone  around  the  great  arctic  bend  of  the  Yukon,  haven't 
they  ?  And  so  have  a  journey  of  at  least  seven  hun 
dred  miles  ahead  of  them  before  they  reach  Forty  Mile." 

"Yes,"  replied  Jalap.  "They  said  as  it  were  the 
only  navigable  channel." 

"  Well,  it  isn't,  for  I  know  of  another  that  is  equally 
good,  and  two  hundred  miles  or  so  shorter.  You  see, 
there  is  a  big  river  coming  from  the  southeast  and 
emptying  into  the  Yukon  somewhere  in  this  vicinity, 
called  the  Tanana." 

"  That's  right,"  assented  the  sailor,  "  for  I've  already 
passed  its  mouth  twice  about  half-way  between  here 
and  where  the  St.  Michaels  is  friz  in." 

"Good  enough,"  said  Phil.  "Now  by  following 
this  Tanana  for  two  or  three  hundred  miles,  and  tak 
ing  up  one  of  its  eastern  branches  that  is  called  the 
Gheesah,  or  some  such  name,  and  crossing  a  divide, 
we  can  strike  the  headwaters  of  Forty  Mile  Creek." 

"  And  sail  down  with  the  current,  run  into  port  un 
der  a  full  press  of  canvas,  and  capture  the  market 
afore  the  enemy  heaves  in  sight !"  exclaimed  Jalap 
Coombs,  enthusiastically,  his  practical  mind  quick  to 
note  the  advantages  of  Phil's  scheme.  "  But  what's 
to  become  of  me  ?'"  he  added,  anxiously.  "  Kin  ye  fit 
me  out  with  a  new  pair  of  feet  ?" 

"  Certainly  we  can,"  replied  Phil,  promptly.  "  We 
can  fit  you  out  with  fourteen  new  pair,  and  will  guar 
antee  that,  thus  provided,  you  will  be  able  to  travel 
as  fast  as  the  rest  of  us." 

"Fourteen  pair  o'  feet?"  repeated  Jalap  Coombs, 
reflectively,  "and  slow -shoes  on  every  pair?  Seems 
to  me,  son,  you  must  be  calkilating  to  run  me  under  a 


112  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

kind  of  a  santipede  rig,  which  it  looks  like  the  strain 
on  the  hull  would  be  too  great.  As  for  navigating 
fourteen  pair  of  slow-shoes  all  to  once,  I  don't  reckin 
old  Kite  hisself  could  do  it.  Still,  if  you  think  it  can 
be  did,  why  go  ahead  and  try  it  on.  I'm  agreeable, 
as  the  cat  said  after  he'd  swallowed  the  cap'n's  wife's 
canary." 

So  Phil's  plan  was  adopted  without  a  dissenting 
voice,  and  from  that  moment  Jalap  Coombs  said  noth 
ing  more  about  a  return  to  St.  Michaels. 

That  very  evening,  leaving  Serge  to  see  what  could 
be  done  for  the  sailor-man's  lameness,  and  taking  Ku- 
rilla  with  him  to  act  as  interpreter,  Phil  visited  several 
Indian  huts.  At  these  he  finally  succeeded  in  purchas 
ing  enough  furs  and  moose-hide  for  a  huge  sleeping- 
bag,  which  the  several  squaws,  who,  under  promise  of 
a  liberal  recompense  in  tea,  undertook  its  construc 
tion,  promised  should  be  ready  by  morning.  Phil  also 
bought  an  immense  pair  of  arctic  sleeping-socks  and  an 
extra  supply  of  snow-goggles. 

When  he  told  Kurilla  of  their  change  of  plan,  and 
that  they  intended  going  up  the  Tanana,  the  latter 
replied,  dubiously,  "  Me  plenty  don't  know  um.  May 
be  git  lose.  Yaas." 

"  Oh,  that'll  be  all  right,"  answered  Phil,  cheerfully. 
"  You'll  plenty  know  um  before  we  get  through  with 
um,  and  whenever  you  don't  know  which  way  to  go, 
just  come  and  ask  me." 

When  he  returned  to  the  house  he  found  Serge  boil 
ing  with  indignation.  "  Do  you  know,"  he  cried, "  that 
Mr.  Coombs  has  walked  all  the  way  from  St.  Michaels 
without  pads  in  his  boots,  because  those  other  fellows 
told  him  his  feet  would  toughen  quicker  if  he  didn't 
use  them?  The  consequence  is  they  are  simply  raw 
from  blisters,  and  every  step  he  takes  must  be  like 
treading  on  knives." 


JALAP  COOMBS'S  FOURTEEN  PAIK  OF  FEET   113 

"It  has  been  tedious  at  times,"  admitted  Jalap 
Coombs.  "And  under  the  sarcumstances  I  don't  know 
but  what  I'd  ruther  have  one  pair  of  feet  than  four 
teen,  or  even  half  the  number." 

"  Isn't  it  good  to  have  old  Jalap  with  us  once  more  ?" 
asked  Phil  of  Serge,  after  they  had  turned  in  that  night. 

"  Indeed  it  is ;  but  do  you  notice  how  he  has 
changed  ?" 

"I  should  say  I  had.  He  is  like  a  salt-water  fish 
suddenly  dropped  into  a  fresh -water  pond.  He'll 
come  out  all  right,  though,  especially  if  we  can  only 
get  his  feet  into  shape  again." 

That  night  the  mercury  fell  to  fifty -nine  degrees 
below  zero,  and  the  next  morning  even  Phil,  impa 
tient  as  he  was  to  proceed,  had  not  the  heart  to  order 
men  and  dogs  out  into  that  bitter  air  before  sunrise. 
With  that,  however,  the  mercury  began  slowly  to  rise, 
and  when  it  had  crept  up  nineteen  degrees,  or  to  only 
forty  degrees  below,  the  young  leader  declared  the 
weather  to  be  warm  enough  for  anybody.  So  he  or 
dered  the  sledges  to  be  got  ready,  and  when  the  one 
drawn  by  his  own  team  came  dashing  up  to  the  door, 
he  announced  that  Mr.  Coombs's  fourteen  pair  of  feet 
were  at  his  service.  He  also  politely  requested  the 
sailor -man  to  crawl  into  a  big  fur -lined  bag  with 
which  the  sledge  was  provided,  and  make  himself 
comfortable. 

"  But,  Phil,"  demurred  the  other,  "  I  ain't  no  passen 
ger  to  be  tucked  up  in  a  steamer-cheer  on  deck.  I'm 
shipped  for  this  v'y'ge  as  one  of  the  crew." 

"Very  well,"  replied  Phil.  "Then  of  course  you  will 
obey  orders  without  a  murmur,  for  I  remember  hear 
ing  you  say,  when  we  were  aboard  the  Seamew,  that 
even  if  a  captain  were  to  order  his  whole  crew  to  knit 
bed  quilts  or  tidies,  they'd  be  bound  to  obey  to  the  best 
of  their  ability." 


114  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"Sartain,"  admitted  the  other.  "I  got  that  from 
old  Kite  Roberson,  which  bedquilts  and  tidies  were 
his  very  words."  Then,  without  further  remonstrance, 
the  crippled  sailor  stepped  to  the  sledge,  slid  feet  first 
into  the  big  bag,  and  lay  there  like  an  animated  mum 
my,  with  the  hood  of  his  parka  drawn  close  about  his 
face.  Its  encircling  fringe  of  long  wolf-hair,  added 
to  his  preternatural  gravity  of  countenance,  gave  him 
such  a  comical  expression  that  the  boys  could  not  help 
shouting  with  laughter  as  Kurilla  cracked  his  great 
whip  and  the  dogs  sprang  away  with  their  new  burden. 

Phil  took  the  lead,  as  usual,  and  when  they  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  Tanana,  which,  on  account  of  its 
broad  expanse,  there  was  no  chance  of  mistaking,  he 
turned  into  it  without  hesitation,  and  in  a  few  min 
utes  they  had  taken  their  last  view  of  the  Yukon  for 
many  a  long  day. 

At  its  mouth  the  Tanana  is  nearly  three  miles 
broad,  or  as  wide  as  the  Yukon  itself,  and  is  filled 
with  islands,  on  which  are  stranded  quantities  of  up 
rooted  trees  of  greater  size  than  any  seen  on  the  Yu 
kon  above  that  point. 

The  bitterness  of  the  cold  continued  unabated,  and 
the  sledge  party  had  hardly  lost  sight  of  the  Yukon 
ere  the  young  leader  heard  himself  hailed  from  the 
rear,  and  paused  to  learn  what  was  wanted. 

"  I  say,  Cap'n  Phil,"  began  Jalap  Coombs,  with  chat 
tering  teeth,  "  is  it  your  orders  or  desire  that  your  men 
should  freeze  to  death  ?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  laughed  the  lad. 

"  Then,  sir,  I  has  the  honor  to  report  that  this  mem 
ber  of  the  crew  is  already  froze  solid  half-way  up,  with 
ice  making  fast  through  the  remainder  of  his  system." 

"  That  is  entirely  contrary  to  orders,"  replied  Phil, 
sternly,  "and  must  be  stopped  at  once.  So,  sir,  put 
your  helm  to  port,  and  run  for  yonder  timber." 


JALAP  COOMBS'S  FOURTEEN  PAIR  OF  FEET   115 

Half  an  hour  later  poor  Jalap  was  being  outwardly 
thawed  by  a  roaring  fire  of  great  logs,  and  inwardly 
by  cupful  after  cupful  of  scalding  tea,  which  moved 
him  to  remark  that,  according  to  his  friend  Kite  Rob- 
erson,  tea  and  coffee  were  the  next  best  things  to  ob 
servations  of  the  sun  for  determining  latitude. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
CHBISTMAS   ON  THE   TANANA 

"  LOOK  here,"  said  Phil,  referring  to  the  mate's  last 
surprising  statement,  "  wasn't  your  friend  Mr.  Rober- 
son  in  the  habit  of  drawing  the  long  bow  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  in  surprise  at  the 
question  ;  "  he  couldn't  abide  'em." 

"  Couldn't  abide  what  ?" 

"Bows,  nor  yet  arrers,  since  when  he  were  a  kid 
some  boys  put  up  a  game  on  him  that  they  called 
William  Tell,  which  allers  did  seem  to  me  the  foolish- 
est  game,  seeing  that  his  name  warn't  William,  but 
Kite,  and  he  warn't  expected  to  tell  anything,  only 
just  to  stand  with  a  punkin  on  his  head  for  them  to 
shoot  their  bow-arrers  at.  Waal,  the  very  fust  one 
missed  the  punkin  and  plunked  poor  Kite  in  the 
stummick,  after  which  he  didn't  have  no  use  for  a 
long  bow  nor  a  short  bow,  nor  yet  a  bow  of  any  kind." 

"  I  don't  blame  him,"  laughed  Serge.  "  But  we 
would  very  much  like  to  know  how  he  determined 
latitude  by  tea  and  coffee." 

"Easy  enough,"  was  the  reply.  "You  see,  tea  is 
drunk  mostly  in  cold  latitoods  similar  tq  this,  and  cof 
fee  in  warm.  The  higher  the  latitood,  the  hotter  and 
stronger  the  tea,  and  the  less  you  hear  of  coffee.  At 
forty -five  or  thereabouts  they's  drunk  about  alike, 
while  south  of  that  coffee  grows  blacker  and  more 
common,  while  tea  takes  a  back  seat  till  you  get  to 
the  line,  where  it's  mighty  little  used.  Then  as  you 


CHRISTMAS    ON   THE   TANANA  117 

go  south  of  that  the  same  thing  begins  all  over  again  ; 
but  there's  not  many  would  notice  sich  things,  and 
fewer  as  would  put  'em  to  practical  use  like  old  Kite 
done." 

"  Mr.  Coombs,"  said  Phil,  "  you  sound  pretty  well 
thawed  out,  and  if  that  is  the  case  we'll  get  under  way 
again." 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir  !"  responded  the  mate,  thrashing  his 
long  arms  vigorously  across  his  chest  to  restore  circu 
lation,  and  then  slipping  resignedly  into  his  fur  bag. 
"  Anchor's  apeak,  sir."  And  away  sped  the  sledges 
up  the  broad  level  of  the  Tanana. 

Every  member  of  the  party  had  by  this  time  be 
come  so  thoroughly  broken  in  to  his  duties  that  when 
they  made  camp  that  night  the  promptness  with  which 
it  was  prepared,  as  well  as  the  ensuing  comfort,  was  a 
revelation  to  Jalap  Coombs,  who  declared  that  there 
had  been  nothing  like  it  in  the  camps  of  the  other 
party. 

"  Of  course  not,"  said  Phil,  "  for  they  haven't  got 
Serge  Belcofsky  along,  so  how  could  their  comfort 
equal  ours  ?" 

At  this  Serge,  covered  with  confusion,  replied,  "Non 
sense,  Phil !  You  know  it  is  because  we  have  got  such 
capital  campmen  as  Kurilla  and  Chitsah  with  us." 

At  this  the  face  of  the  elder  Indian  beamed  with 
pleasure.  He  did  not  exactly  understand  the  conver 
sation  ;  but  believing  that  he  ought  to  make  some  re 
ply,  he  pointed  to  Jalap  Coombs,  and,  looking  at  Phil, 
remarked : 

"  You  fadder.     Yaas." 

But  the  journey  up  the  Tanana  was  by  no  means 
an  unbroken  record  of  swift  movings  from  one  com 
fortable  camp  to  another,  or  of  jokes  and  pleasantries. 
The  days  were  now  at  their  shortest,  so  that  each  could 
boast  only  about  four  hours  of  sunlight,  and  even  that 


118  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

was  frequently  obscured  by  fierce  storms,  when  the 
howling  winds  cut  like  knives,  and  it  required  every 
ounce  of  Phil  Ryder's  pluck  as  well  as  Serge  Belcof- 
sky's  dogged  determination  to  keep  the  little  party  in 
motion.  The  feet  of  the  poor  dogs  were  often  so 
pierced  by  ice  slivers  that  their  tracks  were  marked 
with  blood.  The  older  and  more  experienced  would 
bite  at  these  and  pull  them  out.  Others  would  howl 
with  pain,  while  some  would  lie  down  and  refuse  to 
work  until  they  were  put  in  boots,  which  were  little 
bags  of  deer-hide  drawn  over  their  feet  and  fastened 
with  buckskin  thongs. 

It  was  a  journey  of  constant  and  painful  struggle 
and  of  dreary  monotony,  each  day  being  only  the  same 
endless  succession  of  ice-bound  river,  snow -covered 
hills,  and  sombre  forest.  Especially  depressing  was 
the  night  of  the  24th  of  December,  when,  with  an  icy 
wind  moaning  through  the  tree-tops  of  the  subarctic 
forest,  and  the  shivering  dogs  edging  towards  the  fire 
for  a  share  of  its  grateful  warmth,  Phil  and  Serge  and 
Jalap  Coombs  reminded  each  other  that  this  was  Christ 
mas  Eve.  Never  before  had  Phil  spent  one  away  from 
home,  nor  had  the  others  ever  been  so  utterly  removed 
from  the  cheering  influences  of  the  joyous  season.  So 
Phil  described  what  he  knew  was  taking  place  in  far- 
distant  New  London  at  that  very  hour,  and  Serge  told 
of  merry  times  in  quaint  old  Sitka,  while  Jalap  Coombs 
recalled  many  a  noble  plum-duff  that  had  graced  Christ 
mas  feasts  far  out  at  sea,  until  they  all  grew  homesick, 
and  finally  crawled  into  their  sleeping-bags  to  dream 
of  scenes  as  remote  from  those  surrounding  them  as 
could  well  be  imagined. 

As  they  always  selected  a  camping-place  and  pre 
pared  for  the  long  night  by  the  last  of  the  scanty  day 
light  or  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  so  they  always 
resumed  their  journey  by  the  moonlight  or  starlight, 


CHRISTMAS    ON   THE   TANANA  119 

or  even  in  the  darkness  of  two  or  three  o'clock  the 
next  morning.  On  Christmas  morning  they  started,  as 
usual,  many  hours  before  daylight,  and,  either  owing 
to  the  vagueness  of  all  outlines,  or  because  his  thoughts 
were  far  away,  the  young  leader  mistook  a  branch  for 
the  main  river,  and  headed  for  a  portion  of  the  mighty 
wilderness  that  no  white  man  had  ever  yet  explored. 

About  noon  they  passed  a  forlorn  native  village  of 
three  or  four  snow-covered  huts,  the  occupants  of 
which  gazed  at  the  unaccustomed  sight  of  white  trav 
ellers  in  stolid  amazement.  They  had  gone  nearly  a 
mile  beyond  this  sole  evidence  of  human  occupation 
to  be  found  in  many  a  weary  league  when  Phil  sud 
denly  stopped. 

"Look  here!"  he  exclaimed,  "what  do  you  two  say 
to  going  back,  making  a  camp  near  that  village,  and 
havina:  some  sort  of  a  Christmas,  after  all  ?  It  doesn't 

o  * 

seem  right  for  white  folks  to  let  the  day  go  by  with 
out  celebrating  it  somehow." 

As  the  others  promptly  agreed  to  this  proposition 
the  sledges  were  faced  about,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
the  music  of  Husky's  jingling  bells  again  attracted  the 
wondering  natives  from  their  burrows. 

Camp  was  made  on  a  wooded  island  opposite  the 
village,  and  while  the  others  were  clearing  the  snow 
from  a  space  some  fifty  feet  square,  and  banking  it  up 
on  the  windward  side,  Phil  took  his  gun  and  set  forth 
to  hunt  for  a  Christmas  dinner.  An  hour  later  he  re 
turned  with  four  arctic  hares  and  a  brace  of  ptarmigan, 
or  Yukon  grouse,  whose  winter  plumage  was  as  spot 
less  as  the  snow  itself. 

He  found  Serge  and  Jalap  Coombs  concocting  a 
huge  plum-duff,  while  from  the  brass  kettle  a  savory 
steam  was  already- issuing.  Kuril  la  and  Chitsah  had 
chopped  a  hole  through  four  feet  of  ice  and  were  fish 
ing,  while  a  few  natives  from  the  village  hovered 


120  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

about  the  outskirts  of  the  camp,  watching  its  strange 
life  with  curious  interest.  They  were  very  shy,  and 
moved  away  when  Phil  approached  them,  seeing  which 
he  called  Kurilla  and  bade  him  tell  them  that  a  present 
would  be  given  to  every  man,  woman,  and  child  who 
should  visit  the  camp  before  sunset. 

At  first  they  could  not  comprehend  this  startling 
proposition,  but  after  it  had  been  repeated  a  few  times 
the  youngest  of  them,  a  mere  boy,  uttered  a  joyous 
shout  and  started  on  a  run  for  the  village.  A  few 
minutes  later  its  entire  population,  not  more  than 
twenty-five  in  all,  including  babes  in  arms,  or  rather  in 
the  hoods  of  their  mother's  parkas,  came  hurrying  over 
from  the  mainland  filled  with  eager  expectancy. 

To  every  man  Phil  presented  a  small  piece  of  to 
bacco,  to  every  woman  a  handful  of  tea,  and  to  every 
child  a  biscuit  dipped  in  molasses.  With  each  present 
he  uttered,  very  distinctly,  the  word  "  Christmas."  At 
length  one  child-— though  whether  it  were  a  boy  or  a  girl 
he  could  not  make  out,  for  their  fur  garments  were  all 
exactly  alike — looked  up  with  a  bashful  smile  and  said 
"  Kikmuk."  In  a  minute  all  the  others  had  caught  the 
word,  and  the  air  rang  with  shouts  of  "  Kikmuk,"  min 
gled  with  joyous  laughter. 

Then  they  all  trooped  back  to  the  village,  shouting 
"  Kikmuk  "  as  they  went ;  and  so  long  as  they  live  the 
word  will  be  associated  in  their  minds  with  happiness 
and  good-will.  Three  of  them,  a  man  and  two  women, 
afterwards  returned,bringing  with  them  a  pair  of  dainty 
moccasins,  a  fox-skin,  and  an  intestine  filled  with  melt 
ed  fat,  which  they  timidly  presented  to  Phil,  Serge,  and 
Jalap  Coombs  respectively.  The  last  named  regarded 
his  gift  rather  dubiously,  but  accepted  it  with  a  hearty 
"Kikmuk,"  and  remarked  that  it  .would  probably  be 
good  for  his  feet,  which  it  afterwards  proved  to  be. 

These  three  were  invited  to  dine  with  Kurilla  and 


"  K I  KM  UK" 


CHRISTMAS  ON  THE  TANANA          121 

Chitsah,  an  invitation  which  they  accepted,  and  so  be 
came  the  guests  of  the  Christmas  dinner.  On  their 
side  of  the  fire  the  feast  consisted  largely  of  the  fish 
the  Indians  had  just  caught,  to  which  were  added  un 
stinted  tea  and  a  liberal  supply  of  the  plum-duff.  On 
the  other  side  were  mock-turtle  soup  d  la  can,  baked 
fish,  rabbit  fricassee,  roast  grouse,  plum -duff,  hard 
bread,  tea,  and  cocoa  ;  all  of  which  combined  to  form 
what  Phil  pronounced  to  be  the  very  best  Christmas 
dinner  he  had  ever  eaten,  in  which  sentiment  Serge  and 
Jalap  Coombs  heartily  concurred. 

Even  the  dogs  were  given  cause  to  rejoice  that 
Christmas  had  at  length  come  to  their  snowy  land  by 
receiving  a  double  ration  of  dried  fish,  which  put  them 
into  such  good  spirits  that  they  spent  the  greater  part 
of  the  night  in  a  rollicking  game  of  romps. 

On  the  Indian  side  of  the  fire  the  unwonted  good 
cheer  so  overcame  the  shyness  of  the  villagers  that 
the  man  ventured  to  ask  questions  regarding  the  in 
tentions  and  destination  of  this  sledge  party  of  stran 
gers.  When  these  were  stated  by  Kurilla,  he  remained 
silent  for  a  minute.  Then  he  delivered  a  long  and  ani 
mated  speech. 

As  a  result  of  this,  and  when  it  was  finished,  Ku 
rilla  left  his  own  side  of  the  fire  and,  approaching  Phil, 
said  : 

"  You  go  Forty  Mile  ?" 

"  Yes.     We  are  going  to  Forty  Mile,  of  course." 

"No  like  urn  Tanana?" 

"  Certainly,  I  like  the  Tanana  well  enough.  I  shall 
like  it  better,  though,  when  we  have  seen  the  last  of 
it." 

"  No  can  see  urn  now." 

"  Why  not  ?    There  it  is  right  out  yonder." 

"  No.  Him  Kloot-la-ku-ka.  Tanana  so  "  (pointing 
to  the  way  they  had  come).  "  You  go  so  way"  (pointing 


122  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

up  -  stream),  "  get  lose  ;   mebbe  no  fin' ;   plenty  bad. 
Yaas  !" 

So,  all  on  account  of  keeping  Christmas  and  trying 
to  bring  a  little  of  its  joy  into  the  hearts  of  those  chil 
dren  of  the  wilderness,  Phil's  mistake  was  discovered 
before  its  consequences  became  disastrous,  and  he  was 
once  more  enabled  to  place  his  little  party  on  the  right 
road  to  Sitka. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
A    BATTLE    WITH    WOLVES 

THE  remainder  of  the  journey  up  the  Tanana  was 
uneventful,  but  so  long  that  the  new  year  was  well 
begun  ere  the  sledge  party  left  it  and  turned  up  the 
Gheesah  branch,  which  flows  in  from  the  east.  An 
Indian  guide,  procured  at  the  last  village  by  the  prom 
ise  of  a  pound  of  tobacco  for  his  services,  accompa 
nied  them  on  their  four  days'  journey  up  this  river,  and 
to  the  summit  of  the  bleak,  wind-swept  divide,  five 
hundred  feet  above  timber-line.  This  gave  the  dogs 
a  hard  pull,  though  Jalap  Coombs  insisted  upon  light 
ening  their  load  by  walking  ;  nor  from  this  time  on 
would  he  again  consent  to  be  treated  as  an  invalid. 

The  summit  once  passed,  they  plunged  rapidly  down 
its  farther  side,  and  into  the  welcome  shelter  of  timber 
fringing  a  tiny  stream  whose  course  they  were  now  to 
follow.  Their  guide  called  it  the  Tukh-loo-ga-ne-lukh- 
nough,  which,  after  vain  attempts  to  remember,  Phil 
shortened  to  "  Tough  Enough."  Jalap  Coombs,  how 
ever,  declared  that  this  was  not  a  "  sarcumstance  "  to 
the  names  of  certain  down-East  streams  among  which 
he  was  born,  and  to  prove  his  assertion  began  to  talk 
glibly  of  the  Misquabenish,  the  Keejimkoopic,  the 
Kashagawigamog,  the  Kahwahcambejewagamog,  and 
others  of  like  brevity,  until  Phil  begged  him  to  take  a 
rest. 

That  night,  while  the  camp  was  buried  in  the  pro 
found  slumber  that  followed  a  day  of  unusually  hard 


124  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

work,  and  the  fire  had  burned  to  a  bed  of  coals,  the 
single,  long-drawn  howl  of  a  wolf  was  borne  to  it  with 
startling  distinctness  by  the  night  wind.  As  though 
it  were  a  signal,  it  was  answered  from  a  dozen  differ 
ent  directions  at  once.  The  alert  dogs  sprang  from 
their  snowy  beds  with  bristling  crests,  and  hurled  back 
a  challenge  of  fierce  barkings  ;  but  this,  being  an  inci 
dent  of  nightly  occurrence,  failed  to  arouse  the  tired 
sleepers. 

Within  a  few  minutes  the  dread  howlings  had  so  in 
creased  in  volume  that  they  seemed  to  issue  from  scores 
of  savage  throats,  and  to  completely  encircle  the  little 
camp.  It  was  as  if  all  the  wolves  of  the  forest,  ren 
dered  desperate  by  famine,  had  combined  for  a  raid 
on  the  supply  of  provisions  so  kindly  placed  within 
their  reach.  Nearer  and  nearer  they  came,  until  their 
dark  forms  could  be  seen  like  shadows  of  evil  omen 
flitting  among  the  trees  and  across  the  open  moonlit 
spaces. 

The  dogs,  at  first  eager  to  meet  their  mortal  foes, 
now  huddled  together,  terrified  by  overwhelming  num 
bers.  Still  the  occupants  of  the  camp  slept,  uncon 
scious  of  their  danger.  Suddenly  there  came  a  rush, 
an  unearthly  clamor  of  savage  outcry,  and  the  sleepers 
were  roused  to  a  fearful  wakening  by  a  confused  strug 
gle  within  the  very  limits  of  the  camp,  and  over  their 
recumbent  forms.  They  sprang  up  with  yells  of  terror, 
and  at  the  sound  of  human  voices  the  invaders  drew 
back,  snapping  and  snarling  with  rage. 

"  Timber  wolves  !"  shouted  Serge.  "  Your  rifle, 
Phil  !  Quick  !" 

Emboldened  by  this  reinforcement,  the  dogs  ad 
vanced  to  the  edge  of  the  camp  space,  but  with  low 
growls  in  place  of  their  former  defiant  barkings. 

Phil  was  trembling  with  excitement;  but  Serge, 
steady  as  a  rock,  was  throwing  the  No.  4's  from  the 


A   BATTLE   WITH   WOLVES  125 

double  -  barrel  and  reloading  with  buckshot,  at  the 
same  time  calling  to  Chitsah  to  pile  wood  on  the 
tire,  and  to  the  other  Indians  not  to  fire  until  all  were 
ready.  Jalap  Coombs  seized  an  axe,  and,  forgetful  of 
the  bitter  cold,  was  rolling  up  his  sleeves  as  though  he 
purposed  to  fight  the  wolves  single-handed.  At  the 
same  time  he  denounced  them  as  pirates  and  bloody 
land-sharks,  and  dared  them  to  come  within  his  reach. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?"  cried  Serge  ;  "  then  fire  !"  And 
with  a  roar  that  woke  the  forest  echoes  for  miles,  the 
four  guns  poured  their  contents  into  the  dense  black 
mass  that  seemed  just  ready  to  hurl  itself  for  a  second 
time  upon  the  camp. 

With  frightful  bowlings  the  pack  scattered,  and 
began  to  gallop  swiftly  in  a  wide  circle  about  the  fire- 
lit  space.  One  huge  brute,  frenzied  with  rage,  leaped 
directly  towards  the  camp,  with  gleaming  eyes  and 
frothing  mouth.  Ere  a  gun  could  be  levelled,  Jalap 
Coombs  stepped  forward  to  meet  him,  and,  with  a 
mighty,  swinging  blow,  his  heavy  axe  crushed  the  skull 
of  the  on-coming  beast  as  though  it  had  been  an  egg 
shell.  Instantly  the  dogs  were  upon  him,  and  tearing 
fiercely  at  their  fallen  enemy. 

With  the  first  shot  Phil's  nervousness  vanished,  and 
as  coolly  as  Serge  himself  he  followed,  with  levelled 
rifle,  the  movements  of  the  yelling  pack  in  their  swift 
circling.  At  each  patch  of  moonlit  space  one  or  more 
of  the  fierce  brutes  fell  before  his  unerring  fire,  until 
every  shot  of  his  magazine  was  exhausted. 

"  Now,"  cried  Serge,  "  we  must  scatter  them.  Every 
man  take  a  firebrand  in  each  hand,  and  all  make  a 
dash  together." 

"  Yelling,"  added  Jalap  Coombs. 

"  Yes,  yelling  louder  than  the  wolves  themselves." 

The  plan  was  no  sooner  proposed  than  adopted. 
Musky,  Luvtuk,  big  Amook,  and  the  rest,  inspired  by 


126  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

their  masters'  courage,  joined  in  the  assault ;  and  be 
fore  that  fire-bearing,  yelling,  on-rushing  line  of  hu 
manity  and  dogs  the  gaunt  forest  raiders  gave  way  and 
fled  in  all  directions. 

The  whole  battle  had  not  lasted  more  than  five  min 
utes,  but  it  resulted  in  the  death  of  nineteen  wolves, 
six  of  which  were  despatched  by  the  sailor  man's  ter 
rible  axe  after  the  fight  was  over  and  they,  more  or 
less  wounded,  were  slinking  away  towards  places  of 
hiding.  But  the  dogs  found  them  out,  and  they  met  a 
swift  fate  at  the  hands  of  Jalap  Coombs. 

As  he  finally  re-entered  the  camp,  dragging  the  last 
one  behind  him,  he  remarked,  with  a  chuckle, 

"  Waal,  boys,  I  ruther  guess  our  boat's  '  high  line ' 
this  time,  and  I'm  free  to  admit  that  this  here  wolf 
racket  beats  most  kinds  of  fishing  for  genuine  enter 
tainment,  onless  it's  fishing  for  sharks,  which  is  exciting 
at  times.  I'm  pleased  to  have  met  up  with  this  school, 
though,  for  it's  allers  comforting  to  run  across  fresh 
proofs  of  my  friend  old  Kite  Roberson's  knowing- 
ness.  He  useter  say  consarning  the  critters,  Kite  did, 
that  wolves  was  sharks  and  sharks  was  wolves,  and 
that  neither  of  'em  warn't  no  fit  playthings  for  chil 
dren  ;  which  it  now  seems  to  me  he  were  correct,  as 
usual." 

"  He  certainly  was,"  replied  Phil,  who,  leaning  on 
his  rifle,  was  thoughtfully  regarding  the  shaggy  beast 
that  Kite  Roberson's  friend  had  just  dragged  into 
camp.  "  But  aren't  these  uncommonly  big  wolves  ? 
I  never  knew  they  grew  so  large." 

"  They  don't  generally,"  answered  Serge;  "  but  these 
are  of  the  same  breed  as  the  great  Siberian  wolves, 
which,  you  know,  are  noted  as  being  the  largest  and 
fiercest  in  the  world." 

"  I  don't  wonder  now  that  the  dogs  were  frightened," 
continued  Phil,  "  for  this  fellow  looks  twice  as  big  as 


"NOW,"   CRIKD    SERGK,  ''ALL    MAKE    A    DASH    TOGKTHER !" 


A   BATTLE   WITH   WOLVES  127 

Amook,  and  he's  no  puppy.  But  I  say,  Serge,  you're 
an  awfully  plucky  chap.  As  for  myself,  I  must  con 
fess  I  was  so  badly  rattled  that  I  don't  believe  I  should 
have  even  thought  of  a  gun  before  they  were  on  us  a 
second  time.'' 

"  If  they  had  made  a  second  rush  not  one  of  us 
would  be  alive  to  talk  about  it  now,"  remarked  Serge, 
soberly  ;  "  and  it  was  only  the  promptness  of  our  at 
tack  that  upset  their  plans.  In  dealing  with  wolves  it 
is  always  safest  to  force  the  fighting  ;  forr  while  they 
are  awful  bullies,  they  are  cowards  at  heart,  like  all 
bullies  I  ever  heard  of." 

"  Captain  Duff,  for  instance,"  said  Phil,  with  a  rem 
iniscent  smile.  Then  he  added  :  "Anyhow,  old  man, 
you  got  us  out  of  a  bad  scrape,  for  it  isn't  every  fellow 
who  would  know  just  how  to  deal  with  a  pack  of 
wolves,  especially  when  wakened  from  a  sound  sleep 
to  find  them  piling  on  top  of  him." 

"I  don't  believe  it  was  quite  as  bad  as  that,"  ob 
jected  Serge.  "  I  'expect  only  the  dogs  piled  on  top  of 
us  when  they  were  driven  in.  By-the-way,  did  you 
know  that  four  of  them  were  killed,  and  several  others 
pretty  badly  hurt  ?" 

"  No,  I  didn't,"  cried  Phil,  in  dismay.  "  What  ones 
are  killed  ?" 

"  Two  from  my  team,  one  fi'om  yours,  and  one  from 
Chitsah's." 

"Oh,  the  villains!"  exclaimed  the  young  leader. 
"  Another  victory  like  that  would  cripple  us.  Do  you 
think  there  is  any  danger  of  them  coming  back  ?" 

"  Not  just  now ;  but  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  to  hear 
from  them  again  to-morrow  night." 

"  All  right.  I'm  glad  you  mentioned  it.  Now  we'll 
see  if  we  can't  have  an  interesting  reception  prepared 
for  them." 

"Pizen?"  queried  Jalap  Coombs,  who  had  lighted 


128  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

his  pipe  and  was  now  complacently  watching  the  skin 
ning  of  the  dead  wolves,  which  had  been  undertaken 
by  the  three  Indians. 

"  Worse  than  that,"  answered  Phil,  significantly. 

By  the  time  the  Indians  had  finished  their  task  and 
breakfast  had  been  eaten  the  usual  starting-hour  had 
arrived.  Two  of  the  wolf-skins  were  allotted  to  the 
guide,  who  was  to  leave  them  at  this  point,  and  he  set 
forth  on  his  return  journey  with  them  on  his  back. 
Rolled  in  them  were  the  single  dried  salmon  which 
would  form  his  sole  sustenance  on  the  journey,  and 
the  cherished  pound  of  tobacco,  for  which  he  had  been 
willing  to  work  so  hard.  In  his  hand  he  bore  an  old 
flintlock  musket  that  was  the  pride  of  his  heart,  not 
so  much  on  account  of  its  shooting  qualities,  which 
were  very  uncertain,  as  by  reason  of  its  great  length. 
It  was  the  longest  gun  known  to  the  dwellers  of  the 
Tanana  Valley,  and  consequently  the  most  valuable; 
for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  method  of  selling  such 
guns  was  to  exchange  one  for  as  many  marten,  fox,  or 
beaver  skins  as  could  be  piled  from  stock  to  muzzle 
when  it  stood  upright. 

"  I  hope  the  wolves  won't  attack  his  camps,"  re 
marked  Phil,  as  they  watched  the  lonely  figure  pass 
out  of  sight  on  the  back  trail. 

"  Him  no  camp,"  declared  Kurilla. 

"  But  he  must.  Why,  it's  a  four-days'  journey  to 
his  home." 

"  No  ;  one  day,  one  night.  Him  no  stop.  Wolf  no 
catch  um.  Yaas." 

And  Kurilla  was  right,  for  the  Indian  would  push 
on  over  mile  after  mile  of  that  frozen  solitude  with 
out  a  pause,  save  for  an  occasional  bite  from  his  dried 
salmon,  and  a  handful  of  snow  to  wash  it  down,  until 
he  reached  his  own  far-away  home. 


CHAPTER  XX 
CHITSAIl's   NATURAL   TELEPHONE 

SEVENTEEN  green  wolf-skins  formed  a  heavy  sledge- 
load,  especially  for  the  weakened  dog-teams  ;  but  fort 
unately  Jalap  Coombs's  feet  were  again  in  condition 
for  walking,  and  snow  on  the  river  was  not  yet  deep. 
So  it  was  determined  to  carry  them — at  least,  for  the 
present.  On  the  evening  following  that  of  the  en 
counter  with  the  wolves,  Phil,  leaving  the  work  of 
preparing  camp  to  the  others,  unpacked  the  Eskimo 
wolf-traps  of  compressed  whalebone  that  he  had  pro 
cured  at  Makagamoot.  He  had  twenty  of  the  ingen 
ious  little  contrivances,  and  wrapped  each  one  in  a 
strip  of  frozen  wolf-meat  that  he  had  saved  and  brought 
along  for  the  purpose.  When  all  were  thus  prepared, 
he  carried  them  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  camp, 
and  then  dropped  them  at  short  intervals  in  a  great 
circle  about  it.  He  knew  the  dogs  would  not  stray 
that  far  since  their  experience  of  the  night  before,  and 
so  felt  pretty  certain  that  the  traps  would  only  find 
their  way  to  the  destination  for  which  they  were  in 
tended. 

The  first  blood-chilling  howl  was  heard  soon  after 
dark,  and  a  few  minutes  later  it  was  apparent  that 
wolves  were  again  gathering  from  all  quarters.  Then 
the  anxious  watchers  caught  occasional  glimpses  of 
dim  forms,  and  sometimes  of  a  pair  of  gleaming  eyes, 
that  invariably  drew  a  shot  from  Phil's  rifle.  Still  the 
wolves  seemed  to  remember  their  lesson,  or  else  they 


130  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

waited  for  the  occupants  of  the  camp  to  fall  asleep,  for 
they  made  no  effort  at  an  attack. 

As  time  passed  the  wolf  tones  began  to  change,  and 
defiant  bowlings  to  give  place  to  yelps  and  yells  of 
distress.  Soon  other  sounds  were  mingled  with  these — 
the  fierce  snarlings  of  savage  beasts  fighting  over  their 
prey.  The  traps  were  doing  their  work.  Those  wolves 
that  had  eagerly  gulped  them  down  were  so  stricken 
with  deadly  pains  that  they  staggered,  fell,  and  rolled 
in  the  snow.  At  the  first  symptoms  of  distress  others 
sprang  upon  them  and  tore  them  in  pieces,  at  the  same 
time  battling  fiercely  over  their  cannibal  feast.  So 
wolf  fed  wolf,  while  the  night  echoed  with  their  hide 
ous  outcries,  until  finally  the  survivors,  gorged  with 
the  flesh  of  their  own  kind,  slunk  away,  and  after 
some  hours  of  bedlam  quiet  once  more  reigned  in  the 
forest. 

So  Phil's  scheme  proved  a  success,  and  for  the  re 
mainder  of  that  night  he  and  his  companions  slept  in 
peace.  At  daylight  they  visited  the  scenes  of  wolfish 
feasting,  and  found  everywhere  plentiful  evidence  of 
what  had  taken  place ;  but  this  time  they  gathered  in 
neither  rugs  nor  robes,  for  only  blood-stains,  bones, 
and  tattered  shreds  of  fur  remained. 

Phil's  only  regret  was  that  he  had  not  a  lot  more  of 
those  same  useful  traps,  though,  as  was  afterwards 
proved,  they  were  not  needed,  for  never  again  during 
their  journey  did  wolves  appear  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  cause  them  any  alarm. 

For  another  week  did  the  sledge  party  journey  down 
the  several  streams  that,  emptying  one  into  another, 
finally  formed  the  Conehill  River,  or,  as  the  gold-dig 
gers  call  it,  Forty  Mile  Creek,  because  its  mouth  is 
forty  miles  down  the  Yukon  from  the  old  trading-post 
of  Fort  Reliance.  As  the  first  half  of  their  long  jour 
ney  drew  towards  a  close  they  became  anxious  as  to 


CHITSAH'S  NATURAL  TELEPHONE  131 

its  results  and  impatient  for  its  end.  When  would 
they  reach  the  settlement?  and  could  they  get  there 
before  their  rivals  who  had  followed  the  Yukon  ?  were 
the  two  questions  that  they  constantly  asked  of  each 
other,  but  which  none  could  answer. 

Phil  grew  almost  despondent  as  he  reflected  upon 
the  length  of  time  since  they  left  old  Fort  Adams,  and 
gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  other  party  must  have 
reached  Forty  Mile  long  since. 

Serge  also  feared  they  had,  though  he  didn't  see  how 
they  could. 

Jalap  Coombs  was  firm  in  his  belief  that  the  other 
party  was  still  far  away,  and  that  his  would  be  the 
first  in  ;  for,  quoth  he,  "  Luck  allers  has  been  on  my 
side,  and  I'm  going  to  believe  it  allers  will  be.  My 
old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  say,  speaking  of  luck, 
and  he  give  it  as  his  own  experience,  that  them  as 
struck  the  best  kinds  of  luck  was  them  as  worked  the 
hardest  for  it ;  and  ef  they  didn't  get  it  one  way  they 
was  sure  to  another.  Likewise  he  useter  say,  Kite  did, 
consarning  worriments,  that  ef  ye  didn't  pay  no  atten 
tion  to  one  'twould  be  mighty  apt  to  pass  ye  by;  but 
ef  ye  encouraged  it  by  so  much  as  a  wink  or  a  nod, 
ye'd  have  to  fight  it  to  git  red  of  it.  So,  seeing  as 
they  hain't  no  worriments  hove  in  sight  yet,  what's  the 
use  in  s'arching  for  'em  ?" 

As  for  Kurilla,  whenever  his  opinion  was  asked,  he 
always  grinned  and  returned  the  same  answer: 

"  You  come  pretty  quick,  mebbe.    Yaas." 

So  each  day  of  the  last  three  or  four  brought  its 
fresh  hope;  at  each  succeeding  bend  of  the  stream  all 
eyes  were  strained  eagerly  forward  for  a  sight  of  the 
expected  cluster  of  log-huts,  and  each  night  brought 
an  added  disappointment. 

At  length  one  evening,  when  Phil,  who  had  pushed 
on  longer  than  usual,  in  an  effort  to  end  their  suspense, 


132  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

was  reluctantly  compelled,  by  gathering  darkness,  to 
go  into  camp,  Chitsah  suddenly  attracted  attention  to 
himself  by  running  to  a  tree  and  pressing  an  ear  to  its 
trunk.  As  the  others  stared  at  him,  a  broad  smile 
overspread  his  face,  and  he  said  something  to  his  father, 
which  the  latter  instantly  interpreted. 

"What?"  cried  Phil,  incredulously.  "He  thinks 
he  hears  the  sound  of  chopping  ?" 

"Yaas,"  answered  Kurilla.  "Axe,  chop  um,  white 
men,  plenty.  Yaas." 

"  I,  too,  can  hear  something !"  exclaimed  Serge, 
who  had  imitated  Chitsah's  movements,  "though  I 
wouldn't  swear  it  was  chopping." 

"  Hurrah  !  So  can  I !"  shouted  Phil,  after  a  moment 
of  intent  listening  at  another  tree.  "  First  time,  though, 
I  ever  knew  that  the  public  telephone  service  was  ex 
tended  to  this  country.  The  sound  I  heard  might  be 
a  train  of  cars  twenty  miles  away,  or  a  woodpecker 
somewhere  within  sight.  No  matter.  If  Chitsah  says 
it's  chopping,  it  must  be,  for  he  ought  to  know,  seeing 
that  he  first  heard  it  with  the  aid  of  the  tree -tele 
phone.  So  let's  go  for  it.  We  can  afford  to  travel  an 
hour  or  two  in  the  dark  for  the  sake  of  meeting  the 
white  man  who  is  swinging  that  axe,  can't  we  ?" 

"  Of  course  we  can,"  replied  Serge. 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir  !"  answered  Jalap  Coombs. 

"Mebbe  catch  um.  Yaas,"  added  Kurilla,  sharing 
the  general  enthusiasm. 

Even  the  tired  dogs  barked,  pricked  up  their  sharp 
ears,  sniffed  the  air,  and  did  not,  seemingly,  object  to 
moving  on. 

So  the  long  teams  were  again  swung  into  line,  the  pis 
tol-like  reports  of  the  three  sledge-whips  rang  sharply 
through  the  keen  air,  and  the  whole  party  swept  on 
down  the  darkening  river  at  a  greater  speed  than  they 
had  made  that  day. 


CHITSAH'S  NATURAL  TELEPHONE  133 

An  hour  later,  as  they  rounded  a  projecting  point, 
Phil  uttered  an  exulting  shout.  A  cluster  of  twin 
kling  lights  shone  dead  ahead,  and  our  travellers  knew 
that  their  goal  was  won. 

"  Let's  give  them  a  volley,"  suggested  Serge.  "  It's 
the  custom  of  the  country,  you  know." 

So  the  guns  were  taken  from  their  deerskin  cover 
ings,  and  at  Phil's  word  of  command  a  roar  from  double- 
barrel,  flintlock,  and  Winchester  woke  glad  echoes 
from  both  sides  of  the  broad  valley  and  from  the  rug 
ged  Yukon  cliffs  beyond.  Then,  with  whoopings  and 
cheers  and  frantic  yelpings  of  dogs,  the  sledge  brigade 
dashed  on  towards  the  welcoming  lights. 

"  Hello  the  camp  !"  yelled  Phil,  as  they  approached 
the  dark  cluster  of  cabins. 

"  On  deck !"  roared  Jalap  Coombs,  as  though  he 
were  hailing  a  ship  at  sea. 

"  Hello  yourself  !"  answered  a  gruff  voice — the  first 
hail  in  their  own  tongue  that  the  boys  had  heard  in 
many  a  week.  "  Who  are  you  ?  Where  do  you  come 
from  ?  And  what's  all  this  racket  about  ?" 

"  White  men,"  replied  Phil,  "  with  dog-sledges,  up 
from  Yukon  mouth." 

"  Great  Scott !  You  don't  say  so  !  No  wonder  you're 
noisy !  Hi,  boys  !  Here's  the  first  winter  outfit  that 
ever  came  from  Yukon  mouth  to  Forty  Mile.  What's 
the  matter  with  giving  them  a  salute  ?" 

"  Nothing  at  all !"  cried  a  score  of  voices,  and  then 
volley  after  volley  rang  forth,  until  it  seemed  as 
though  every  man  there  must  have  carried  a  loaded 
gun  and  emptied  it  of  all  six  shots  in  honor  of  the 
occasion. 

Men  came  running  from  all  directions,  and  before 
the  shooting  ceased  the  entire  population  of  the  camp, 
some  three  hundred  in  number,  were  eagerly  crowding 
about  the  new-comers,  plying  them  with  questions, 


134  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

and  struggling  for  the  honor  of  shaking  hands  with 
the  first  arrivals  of  the  year. 

"Are  we  really  the  first  to  come  up  the  river?" 
asked  Phil. 

"To  be  sure  you  are.  Not  only  that,  but  the  first 
to  reach  the  diggings  from  any  direction  since  navi 
gation  closed.  But  how  did  you  come  ?  Not  by  the 
river,  I  know,  for  when  I  heard  your  shooting  'twas 
clear  away  up  the  creek." 

"We  came  by  the  Tan  ana  and  across  the  Divide," 
answered  Phil.  "There  is  another  party  coming  by 
way  of  the  river,  though,  and  we  were  afraid  they 
might  get  in  ahead  of  us." 

"  Hark  to  that,  boys !  One  train  just  arrived,  and 
another  coming !  I  tell  you,  old  Forty  Mile  is  right 
in  it.  Daily  express  from  all  points,  through  tickets 
to  Europe,  Arup,  and  Arrap  ;  morning  papers  and  op 
era-houses,  circus  and  theaytres.  Looks  like  the  boom 
had  struck  us  at  last.  But  say,  stranger,  what  is  the 
news  from  below  ?" 

"  New  steamer  on  her  way  up  the  river,  with  saw 
mill,  mining  machinery,  and  best  stock  of  goods  ever 
seen  in  Alaska,"  replied  Phil,  quick  to  seize  the  oppor 
tunity,  and  anxious  to  make  his  business  known  while 
he  still  had  the  field  to  himself.  "We  have  come 
from  her,  and  are  on  our  way  to  San  Francisco  to 
send  up  a  new  stock  for  next  season.  So  we  have 
only  stopped  to  take  your  orders  and  find  out  what 
will  be  the  most  acceptable." 

"  Hurrah  !"  yelled  the  crowd,  wild  with  excitement. 
"Send  us  a  brass-band,"  shouted  one.  'In  swaller- 
tails  and  white  kids,"  added  another.  "What's  the 
matter  with  moving  the  Palace  Hotel  up  here  ?"  sug 
gested  a  third,  "  seeing  as  San  Francisco  isn't  in  it  any 
longer  with  Forty  Mile.  Especially  send  along  the 
cafe." 


CHITSAH'S  NATURAL  TELEPHONE  135 

"Come,  fellows,  let  up,"  cried  the  man  who  had 
been  the  first  to  welcome  the  new  arrivals,  and  whose 
name  was  Riley.  "  We  mustn't  keep  these  gentlemen 
standing  out  here  in  the  cold  any  longer.  I  reckon 
they're  hungry,  too,  and  wondering  why  we  don't 
invite  'em  to  grub.  So,  men,  just  come  into  my  she 
bang  and  make  yourselves  at  home.  There  isn't  much 
to  it,  but  such  as  it  is  it's  yours,  so  long  as  you'll  honor 
yours  truly." 

"No,  come  with  me,"  cried  another  voice.  "I've 
got  beans,  Boston  baked,  fresh  from  the  can."  "  I've 
got  molasses  and  soft-tack,"  and  "  I've  just  made  a  dish 
of  scouse,"  "  Come  with  us,"  shouted  others. 

"  No,  you  don't !"  roared  Mr.  Riley.  "  They're  my 
meat,  and  they  are  going  to  bunk  in  with  me.  But, 
boys,  you  can  send  along  your  beans  and  your  dope 
and  your  scouse,  and  whatever  else  comes  handy,  for 
I've  only  got  roast  beef  and  chicken-salad  and  a  few 
terrapin,  and  we  want  to  do  this  thing  up  in  style. 
So, '  all  small  contributions  thankfully  received '  is  the 
word,  and  if  we  don't  scare  up  just  the  niftiest  spread 
on  the  coast  this  night  then  my  name  isn't  Platt  Riley, 
that's  all." 


CHAPTER  XXI 
A   YUKON   MINING  CAMP 

THE  supper  provided  by  the  hospitable  miners  was  a 
good  one,  and  heartily  did  our  travellers  enjoy  it ;  but 
while  they  are  appeasing  the  extraordinary  appetites 
that  they  acquired  somewhere  in  the  Alaskan  wilder 
ness,  let  us  take  a  look  at  this  most  northern  of  Amer 
ican  mining  camps. 

To  begin  with,  although  it  is  at  the  junction  of  For 
ty  Mile  Creek  and  the  Yukon  River,  it  is  not  in  Alaska, 
but  about  twenty  miles  east  of  the  boundary  in  North 
west  Territory,  which  is  one  of  the  subdivisions  of  Can 
ada.  The  most  recent  name  of  this  camp  is  "  Mitchell," 
but  all  old  Yukon  miners  know  it  as  Camp  Forty  Mile. 
At  the  time  of  Phil  Ryder's  visit  it  contained  nearly 
two  hundred  log-cabins,  two  stores,  including  the  one 
that  he  established  in  the  name  of  his  friend  Gerald 
Hamer,  two  saloons,  both  of  which  were  closed  for  the 
season,  and  a  small  cigar  factory.  Although  the  win 
ter  population  was  only  about  three  hundred,  in  sum 
mer-time  it  is  much  larger,  as  many  of  the  miners  come 
out  in  the  fall  and  return  before  the  15th  of  June,  at 
which  date,  according  to  Yukon  mining  law,  every  man 
owning  a  claim  must  be  on  the  ground,  or  it  may  be 
"jumped." 

Forty  Mile  is*  what  is  known  as  a  placer  camp,  which 
means  that  its  gold  is  found  in  minute  particles  or 
"  dust "  in  soft  earth,  from  which  it  can  be  washed  in 
sluices  or  rockers.  Into  one  of  these  a  stream  of  water 


A   YUKON   MINING   CAMP  137 

is  turned  that  sweeps  away  all  the  dirt  and  gravel,  al 
lowing  the  heavier  gold  to  sink  to  the  bottom,  where  it 
is  caught  and  held  by  cross-bars  or  "  riffles." 

Although  gold  has  been  discovered  at  many  points 
along  the  Yukon  and  its  branches,  the  deposit  at  Forty 
Mile  is  the  richest  yet  worked,  and  has  paid  as  high  as 
three  hundred  dollars  to  a  man  for  a  single  day's  labor. 
Twelve  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  gold  was  cleared  by 
one  miner  in  a  three  months'  season,  and  a  five-hun 
dred-dollar  nugget  has  been  found ;  but  most  of  the 
miners  are  content  if  they  can  make  "  ounce  wages," 
or  sixteen  dollars  per  day,  while  the  average  for  the 
camp  is  not  over  eight  dollars  per  day  during  the  short 
season  of  that  arctic  region. 

Sluices  can  only  be  worked  during  three  or  four 
months  of  summer-time ;  then  come  the  terrible  eight 
or  nine  months  of  winter  when  the  mercury  thinks 
nothing  of  dropping  to  sixty  or  seventy  degrees  below 
zero,  and  the  whole  world  seems  made  of  ice.  Strange 
as  it  may  appear,  the  summer  weather  of  this  region  is 
very  hot,  eighty-five  degrees  in  the  shade  and  one  hun 
dred  and  twelve  degrees  in  the  sun  being  frequently 
reached  by  the  mercury.  During  the  summer  months, 
too,  the  entire  Yukon  Valley  is  as  terribly  infested  with 
mosquitoes  as  is  any  mangrove  swamp  of  the  tropics. 
Thus  the  hardy  miner  who  penetrates  it  in  his  search 
for  gold  is  made  to  suffer  from  one  cause  or  another 
during  every  month  of  the  year. 

In  spite  of  the  summer  heat  the  ground  never  thaws 
to  a  depth  of  more  than  five  or  six  feet,  below  which 
it  is  solidly  frozen  beyond  any  point  yet  reached  by 
digging.  Under  the  dense  covering  of  moss,  six  to 
eighteen  inches  thick,  by  which  the  greater  part  of 
Alaska  is  overspread,  it  does  not  thaw  more  than  a  few 
inches.  Consequently  the  most  important  item  of  a 
Yukon  miner's  winter  work  is  the  stripping  of  this 


138  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

moss  from  his  claim  in  order  that  next  summer's  sun 
may  have  a  chance  to  thaw  it  to  working  depth. 

There  were  no  women  nor  children  at  Forty  Mile, 
and  there  were  very  few  amusements,  but  there  is 
plenty  of  hard  work  in  both  summer,  when  the  sun 
hardly  sets  at  all,  and  in  the  winter,  when  he  barely 
shows  his  face  above  the  southern  horizon.  Besides 
the  laborious  task  of  moss-stripping,  the  miner  must 
saw  out  by  hand  all  lumber  for  sluices  and  rockers. 
He  must  build  his  own  cabin  and  fashion  its  rude  fur 
niture,  besides  doing  all  of  his  own  house-work  and 
cooking.  He  also  expects  to  do  a  certain  amount  of 
hunting  and  trapping  during  the  winter  months,  so 
that  his  time,  unless  he  be  very  lazy,  is  fully  occupied. 
But  lazy  men  are  not  apt  to  reach  Forty  Mile,  for  the 
journey  from  Juneau,  in  southern  Alaska,  which  is  the 
largest  city  in  the  Territory,  as  well  as  the  nearest 
outfitting  point  for  the  diggings,  is  so  filled  with  peril 
and  the  roughest  kind  of  hard  work  as  to  deter  any  but 
men  of  the  most  determined  energy. 

At  Juneau,  Yukon  travellers  provide  themselves 
with  an  outfit  of  snow  -  shoes,  sledges,  tents,  fur  cloth 
ing,  provisions,  and  whatever  else  seems  to  them  nec 
essary.  Starting  in  the  early  spring,  they  proceed  by 
boat  to  the  Chilkat  country,  seventy  miles  distant,  and 
to  the  head  of  Chilkoot  Inlet.  From  there  they  set  forth 
on  a  terrible  mountain  climb  over  snow  many  feet  in 
depth,  where  they  are  in  constant  danger  from  ava 
lanches,  and  cross  the  coast  range  by  a  pass  that  rises 
three  thousand  feet  above  timber-line.  On  the  oppo 
site  side  they  strike  the  head-waters  of  the  Yukon, 
which  they  follow  through  a  series  of  six  lakes,  sledg 
ing  over  their  still  ice-bound  waters,  and  rafting  down 
their  connecting  links,  in  which  are  seething  rapids, 
dark  gorges,  and  roaring  canons,  around  which  all 
goods  must  be  carried  on  men's  backs.  After  some 


A   YUKON   MINING    CAMP  139 

two  hundred  miles  of  these  difficulties  have  been 
passed,  trees  must  be  felled,  lumber  sawed  out,  and 
boats  constructed  for  the  remaining  five  hundred  miles 
of  the  weary  journey. 

As  it  would  not  pay  to  transport  freight  by  this 
route,  all  provisions  and  other  supplies  for  the  dig 
gings  are  shipped  from  San  Francisco  by  sea  to  St. 
Michaels,  where  they  are  transferred  to  small  river 
steamers  like  the  CMmo,  and  so,  after  being  many 
months  on  the  way,  finally  reach  their  destination.  By 
this  time  their  value  has  become  so  enhanced  or  "  en 
chanted,"  as  the  miners  say,  that  Phil  Ryder  found 
flour  selling  for  $30  per  barrel,  bacon  at  35  cents  per 
pound,  beans  at  25  cents  per  pound,  canned  fruit  at  60 
cents  per  pound,  coarse  flannel  shirts  at  $8  each,  rub 
ber  boots  at  $18  per  pair,  and  all  other  goods  at  pro 
portionate  rates.  Even  sledge  dogs,  such  as  he  had 
purchased  at  Anvik  for  $5  or  $6  each,  were  here  valued 
at  $25  apiece. 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  news 
of  another  steamer  on  the  river  bringing  a  saw-mill  to 
supply  them  with  lumber,  machinery  with  which  to 
work  the  frozen  but  gold-laden  earth  of  their  claims, 
and  a  large  stock  of  goods  to  be  sold  at  about  one-half 
the  prevailing  prices,  created  a  very  pleasant  excite 
ment  among  the  miners  of  that  wide-awake  camp. 

On  the  day  following  his  arrival,  and  after  a  careful 
survey  of  the  situation,  Phil  rented  the  largest  build 
ing  in  the  place,  paying  one  month's  rent  in  advance, 
and  giving  its  owner  an  order  on  Gerald  Hamer  for 
the  balance  until  the  time  of  the  Chimcfs  arrival.  This 
building  had  been  used  as  a  saloon,  and  was  conven 
iently  located  close  by  the  steamboat- landing  facing 
the  river.  Into  it  the  sledge  party  moved  all  their  be 
longings,  including  the  seventeen  wolf-skins,  which  now 
formed  rugs  for  their  floor  as  well  as  coverings  for  sev- 


140  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

eral  split-log  benches.  Serge  and  the  two  Indians  at 
once  started  up  the  river  with  the  sledges  for  a  supply 
of  firewood,  which  was  a  precious  article  in  Forty  Mile 
at  that  time,  leaving  Phil  and  Jalap  Coombs  to  clean 
the  new  quarters  and  render  them  habitable.  While 
the  latter,  with  a  sailor's  neat  deftness,  attended  to 
this  work,  Phil  busied  himself  with  a  pot  of  black  paint 
and  a  long  breadth  of  cotton  cloth.  At  this  he  labored 
with  such  diligence  that  in  an  hour's  time  a  huge  sign 
appeared  above  the  entrance  to  the  building  and 
stretched  across  its  entire  front.  On  it,  in  letters  so 
large  that  they  could  be  plainly  read  from  the  river, 
was  painted  the  legend,  "Yukon  Trading  Company, 
Gerald  Hamer,  Agent." 

This  promise  of  increased  business  facilities  was 
greeted  by  a  round  of  hearty  cheers  from  a  group  of 
miners  who  had  assembled  to  witness  the  raising  of 
the  new  sign,  and  when  Jalap  Coombs  finished  tack 
ing  up  his  end  one  of  these  stepped  up  to  him  with  a 
keen  scrutiny.  Finally  he  said,  "  Stranger,  may  I  be 
so  bold  as  to  ask  who  was  the  best  friend  you  ever 
had?" 

"  Sartain  you  may,"  replied  the  sailor-man,  "  seeing 
as  I'm  allers  proud  to  mention  the  name  of  old  Kite 
Roberson,  and  likewise  claim  him  for  a  friend." 

"  I  thought  so  !"  cried  the  delighted  miner,  thrust 
ing  out  a  great  hairy  paw.  "  I  thought  I  couldn't  be 
mistook  in  that  figger-head,  and  I  knowed  if  you  was 
the  same  old  Jalap  I  took  ye  to  be  that  Kite  Rob- 
erson  wouldn't  be  fur  off.  Why,  matey,  don't  you  re 
member  the  old  brig  Betsy  ?  Have  you  clean  forgot 
Skiff  Bettens  ?" 

"  Him  that  went  into  the  hold  and  found  the  fire 
and  put  it  out,  and  was  drug  up  so  nigh  dead  from 
smoke  that  he  didn't  breathe  nateral  agin  fur  a  week  ? 
Not  much  I  hain't  forgot  him,  and  I'm  nigh  about  as 


A   YUKON   MINING   CAMP  141 

glad  to  see  him  as  if  he  were  old  Kite  hisself !"  ex 
claimed  Jalap  Coombs,  in  joyous  tones.  Then  he  in 
troduced  Mr.  Skiff  Bettens,  ex- sailor  and  now  Yukon 
miner,  to  Phil,  and  pulled  him  into  the  house,  and 
there  was  no  more  work  to  be  got  out  of  Jalap 
Coombs  that  day. 

Phil  had  also  been  recognized.  That  is,  Mr.  Platt 
Riley  had  asked  him  if  he  were  the  son  of  his  father, 
and  when  Phil  admitted  the  relationship,  told  him  that 
he  had  a  father  to  be  proud  of  every  minute  of  his  life. 
Didn't  he  know  ?  for  hadn't  he,  Platt  Riley,  worked 
side  by  side  with  Mr.  John  Ryder  prospecting  in  South 
Africa,  where  every  ounce  of  grit  that  a  white  man  had 
in  him  was  bound  to  show  itself?  "To  be  certain 
he  had,"  and  now  he  was  proud  to  shake  the  hand  of 
John  Ryder's  son,  and  if  there  was  anything  John 
Ryder's  son  wanted  in  that  camp,  why  he,  Platt  Riley, 
was  the  man  to  get  it  for  him. 

So  our  sledge  travellers  found  that  even  in  that 
remote  mining  camp,  buried  from  the  world  beneath 
the  snows  of  an  arctic  winter,  they  were  among  friends. 
This,  coupled  with  all  that  they  had  undergone  in 
reaching  it,  made  it  seem  to  them  a  very  pleasant  and 
comfortable  place  in  which  to  rest  awhile. 

And  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  stay  there  for 
a  time.  They  must  cultivate  friendly  business  rela 
tions  with  the  miners  on  Gerald  Hamer's  account,  and 
find  out  what  class  of  goods  were  most  in  demand ; 
for  never  until  now  had  Phil  realized  the  responsibility 
with  which  he  had  been  intrusted.  He  must  prepare 
a  full  report  to  send  back  by  Kurilla  and  Chitsah,  who 
could  not  be  tempted  to  venture  any  farther  away 
from  their  homes.  The  dogs  must  be  well  rested  be 
fore  they  would  be  fitted  for  the  second  and  most  diffi 
cult  half  of  the  long  journey.  Above  all,  Phil  felt 
that,  as  representative  of  the  Yukon  Trading  Com- 


142  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

pany,  he  must  be  on  hand  to  meet  the  agents  of  its 
old-established  rival,  and  defend  his  far-away  friend 
from  the  false  reports  they  were  certain  to  spread  con 
cerning  him. 

He  wondered  why  Goldollar  and  Strengel  did  not 
appear,  and  dreaded  to  meet  them,  but  at  the  same 
time  longed  to  have  the  disagreeable  encounter  over 
with  as  quickly  as  possible.  So,  many  times  each  day 
did  he  gaze  long  and  fixedly  across  the  broad  white 
plain  of  the  Yukon.  At  length,  on  the  eighth  day  after 
their  arrival  at  Forty  Mile,  his  eye  was  caught  by 
some  moving  black  dots  that  he  felt  certain  must  be 
the  expected  sledges. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
THE    NEW    ARRIVAL   AT   FORTY   MILK 

THE  man  known  as  Strengel  was  probably  as  great 
a  rascal  as  could  be  found  in  all  Alaska.  His  sole 
object  in  shipping  aboard  the  steamer  N~orsk  at  San 
Francisco  had  been  to  make  his  way,  by  fair  means  or 
foul,  to  the  Yukon  gold-fields,  of  which  he  had  gained 
extravagant  ideas.  On  the  night  before  the  Norsk  left 
St.  Michaels  he  stole  from  the  chests  of  several  of  his 
shipmates  such  small  sums  of  money  as  they  contained, 
slipped  into  a  canoe,  and  deserted  the  ship.  He  re 
mained  in  hiding  until  she  sailed,  and  then,  claiming 
to  have  been  discharged  at  his  own  request,  offered  his 
services  to  Gerald  Hamer  in  exchange  for  a  passage  to 
Forty  Mile.  This  proposition  being  accepted,  and 
Strengel  regularly  shipped  as  one  of  the  Chimo's 
crew,  he  made  a  secret  proposal  to  the  old  company 
through  one  of  its  clerks,  who  happened  to  be  Simon 
Goldollar,  to  so  delay  and  cripple  Gerald  Hamer's  ex 
pedition  that  he  should  be  forced  to  abandon  it.  In 
attempting  to  carry  out  this  programme  he  was  foiled 
by  Phil  Ryder's  quick  wit  and  prompt  action. 

Making  his  way  back  to  St.  Michaels,  after  Phil  set 
him  ashore  at  the  Pastolik  wood-yard,  Strengel  fell  in 
with  Jalap  Coombs,  and,  in  company  with  Goldollar, 
so  managed  the  money  affairs  of  that  unsuspecting 
sailor  that  he  was  unwittingly  made  to  defray  all  their 
expenses  to  Forty  Mile,  though  he  only  expected  to 
accompany  them  a  short  distance  up  the  river.  Stren- 


144  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

gel's  sole  object  was  still  to  reach  the  gold-fields, 
while  Goldollar  was  intent  on  winning  a  reputation 
for  himself  by  forestalling  .Gerald  Hamer  at  Forty 
Mile,  and  at  the  same  time  inflicting  what  injury  he 
could  on  Phil  Ryder.  From  the  outset  they  agreed 
to  rid  themselves  of  Jalap  Coombs  at  some  point  so 
far  up  the  river  that  he  must  necessarily  remain  where 
they  left  him  for  the  rest  of  the  winter.  They  learned 
at  Nulato  that  the  Chimo  was  frozen  in  at  Anvik,  but 
took  care  that  this  information  should  not  reach  Jalap 
Coombs,  whom  they  soon  afterwards  so  cruelly  de 
serted. 

As  they  travelled  beyond  the  point  where  they  left 
him,  the  well-mated  pair  had  such  frequent  and  bitter 
quarrels  that,  when  Simon  Goldollar  fell  seriously  ill, 
Strengel  did  not  hesitate  to  rob  him  of  what  money  he 
carried  and  desert  him  at  a  native  village  near  the 
abandoned  trading-post  of  Fort  Yukon.  Before  do 
ing  this  he  discharged  the  Indians  who  had  come  with 
them  from  Nulato,  and  sent  them  back,  telling  them 
that  he  should  remain  with  his  sick  friend  until  he  re 
covered  or  died.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone  he  en 
gaged  other  natives,  and  set  out  for  the  diggings  that 
had  for  so  long  been  the  goal  of  his  desires. 

He  planned  to  enter  Forty  Mile  under  a  new  name, 
and  as  a  traveller  from  one  of  the  interior  Hudson 
Bay  trading-posts,  who  was  ignorant  of  the  lower  Yu 
kon,  its  people,  and  its  happenings.  He  was  confident 
that  Jalap  Coombs  would  never  appear  to  contradict 
him,  and  almost  equally  certain  that  Simon  Goldollar 
would  never  reach  Forty  Mile.  If  by  a  miracle  he 
should  recover  from  his  illness,  he  was  helpless  to  con 
tinue  his  journey  before  the  boats  came  up  in  the  sum 
mer,  by  which  time  the  man  who  had  robbed  and  de 
serted  him  would  be  lost  to  sight  amid  the  season's 
rush  of  prospectors.  In  the  meantime  he  had  plenty 


THE   NEW   AKKIVAL   AT   FORTY    MILE  145 

of  money  to  live  on  until  he  should  meet  with  an  op 
portunity  for  making  a  strike  of  some  kind. 

Thus  it  was  that  on  a  pleasant  day  of  late  January 
Mr.  Strengel  approached  the  mining  camp  of  Forty  Mile, 
riding  comfortably  in  Jalap  Coombs's  own  sledge,  with 
a  light  heart  and  no  intimation  of  aught  but  an  agree 
able  reception  by  its  citizens.  But  in  all  his  carefully- 
worked-out  plans  he  had  made  several  miscalculations. 

It  had  never  occurred  to  him  that  there  was  any 
other  route  than  the  one  he  had  followed  by  which 
this  point  might  be  reached  from  the  lower  river. 
Nor  did  he  believe  it  possible  that  any  word  of  Ger 
ald  Hamer's  expedition  could  have  come  up  the  river 
unknown  to  him.  Finally,  his  gravest  mistake  lay  in 
supposing  the  population  of  this  camp  to  be  of  the 
same  lawless  class  as  is  to  be  found  in  most  Western 
mining  camps,  and  believing  that  here  he  should  meet 
only  with  as  great  rascals  as  himself.  In  this  he  dis 
played  great  ignorance  of  Forty  Mile,  which  was 
wholly  in  the  hands  of  honorable  old-tiihe  miners, 
who  had  framed  a  simple  set  of  laws  for  the  regula 
tion  of  their  isolated  little  community  that  they  were 
determined  should  be  respected.  They  had  chosen 
one  of  their  own  number  as  judge,  and  from  his  de 
cisions  they  allowed  no  appeal.  They  had  also  elected 
a  marshal,  whom  they  loyally  assisted  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties.  Several  lawless  characters  had  already 
been  driven  from  the  camp,  and  many  others  warned 
not  to  venture  within  its  limits. 

As  Forty  Mile  had  received  warning  of  the  expected 
coming  of  Goldollar  and  Strengel,  and  had  learned 
many  interesting  things  concerning  the  previous  his 
tory  of  these  gentlemen,  their  arrival  was  eagerly 
anticipated.  Thus,  upon  Phil  Ryder's  announcement 
that  sledges  were  coming  up  the  river,  an  expectant 

throng  was  quickly  gathered  at  the  landing. 
10 


146  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

Mr.  Strengel  fired  several  shots  from  his  rifle  as  he 
drew  near,  and  was  surprised  that  his  salute  was  not 
answered  in  kind.  He  was,  of  course,  gratified  to  ob 
serve  the  sensation  that  his  approach  was  creating,  and 
undertook  to  arouse  some  enthusiasm  among  the  silent 
spectators  by  yelling,  "  Hurrah  for  Forty  Mile  !  Hur 
rah  for  the  diggings  !  Hurrah  for  our  side  !"  Then, 
as  his  sledge  reached  the  bank  and  he  sprang  out,  he 
cried,  in  tones  meant  to  convey  hearty  good-fellowship : 

"How  are  you,  boys?  You  bet  I'm  mighty  glad 
to  see  white  men  again  after  camping  with  a  lot  of 
low-lived  Injuns  for  more  than  two  months.  You  see, 
I've  just  come  down  from  Pierre's  House  on  the  Por 
cupine.  My  name's  Brad  wick,  and — " 

Here  the  speaker's  fluent  words  seemed  suddenly  to 
fail  him,  his  face  turned  pale,  and  his  eyes  were  fixed 
in  a  bewildered  stare.  He  had  caught  sight  of  the 
Yukon  Trading  Company's  sign. 

"  Ha,  ha  !"  he  laughed,  recovering  himself  with  an 
effort.  "  Seeing  the  name  of  an  old  friend  who's  long 
since  dead  kinder  give  me  a  turn.  But,  as  I  was  say 
ing—" 

"Yes,  you  were  just  about  to  tell  us  what  had  be 
come  of  Goldollar,"  interrupted  Mr.  Platt  Riley,  who 
had  received  word  from  Phil  that  the  new-comer  was 
Strengel. 

"  Goldollar !"  stammered  the  stranger,  at  the  same 
time  starting  as  though  he  had  been  shot.  "  Goldol 
lar  !"  he  repeated,  reflectively ;  "  I  don't  know  the 
name  ;  never  heard  it  before  in  my  life.  I  think  I 
mentioned  that  I'd  just  come  down  from  Pierre's  House 
on  the  Porcupine,  and  hadn't  seen  a  white  man  since 
leaving  there.  There  wasn't  no  one  of  that  name  at 
Pierre's  House  when  I  left.  What  do  you  mean  ?  Who 
is  Goldollar,  anyhow  ?" 

"  He's  a  feller  that  we  heard  was  coming  up  from  be- 


THE   NEW   ARRIVAL   AT   FORTY   MILE  147 

low  with  a  dog  train,"  replied  Mr.  Kiley,  deliberately, 
at  the  same  time  gazing  full  in  Strengel's  face.  "  And 
we  didn't  know  but  what  you  and  him  might  have  met 
up  and  concluded  to  travel  together." 

"How  could  you  hear  of  him?"  inquired  the  new 
comer.  "  I  didn't  know  there  was  any  way  for  news 
to  reach  Forty  Mile  in  the  winter." 

"  Oh,  we  might  have  heard  by  mail,  or  telegraph, 
or  seen  it  in  the  daily  papers,  or  a  dozen  other  ways. 
Anyhow,  we  did  hear  it,  and  that  another  feller  was 
along  with  him.  So  of  course  when  we  saw  you  com 
ing  up  the  river — " 

"You  didn't  hear  that  the  other  fellow's  name  was 
Bradwick,  did  you  ?"  interrupted  the  stranger. 

"No,  that  wasn't  the  name.  It  wasn't  so  good  a 
name  as  that." 

"  Well,  then,  you  didn't  hear  that  I  was  coming  with 
him  ;  for  Bradwick's  my  name,  and  I  don't  know  noth 
ing  about  any  Goldollars,  though  I  hope  to  find  out 
something  about  them  right  here  in  these  diggings," 
replied  Mr.  Strengel,  boldly,  and  with  attempted  jocu 
larity.  "Now,  seeing  that  I'm  tired,  and  cold,  and 
hungry,"  he  added,  "supposing  we  adjourn  to  some 
place  that's  warmer  than  out  here  in  the  snow,  and 
better  suited  for  making  acquaintances." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Mr.  Platt  Riley,  who,  possessed 
of  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  was  disposed  to  prolong  the 
farce  that  promised  so  much  entertainment.  "We 
don't  know  much  about  Goldollars  ourselves,  but  we'll 
try  and  teach  you  all  we  do  know,  and  at  the  same 
time  put  you  in  the  way  of  meeting  acquaintances. 
As  you  say,  though,  this  is  a  cold  place  for  talking, 
so  I  suppose  you  might  as  well  come  up  to  my  select 
family  boarding-house  for  the  night,  seeing  as  it  ain't 
overcrowded  just  at  present.  Then  in  the  morning 
we'll  look  round  for  a  place  that  '11  suit  you  better." 


148  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

So  the  new-comer  walked  away  with  Mr.  Platt  Riley, 
while  the  spectators  of  this  interesting  meeting  chuckled 
and  winked  significantly,  poked  each  other  in  the  ribs, 
and  remarked : 

"Ain't  the  jedge  a  honey-cooler,  though  ?  He  ain't 
the  kind  that  '11  hang  a  man  first  and  try  him  after 
wards.  Not  much ;  that  ain't  his  style.  Fair  play's 
his  motter,  and  turn  the  rascals  out  every  time." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  during  the  interview  just 
described  Phil,  Serge,  and  Jalap  kept  themselves  out 
of  sight ;  nor  had  any  one  let  fall  an  intimation  of 
their  presence  in  the  camp. 

All  that  evening  a  constant  stream  of  visitors  flowed 
in  and  out  of  Mr.  Platt  Riley's  cabin.  Each  wore  an 
expression  of  expectancy  and  suppressed  mirth,  and 
each  bowed  gravely,  without  trusting  himself  to  speak, 
when  introduced  to  Mr.  "Bradwick."  It  was  also  to 
be  noticed  that  none  of  them  shook  hands  with  him. 
When  he  complained  of  this  to  his  host  he  was  gravely 
informed  that  hand-shaking  was  not  one  of  the  customs 
of  the  camp.  All  the  visitors  listened  with  great  in 
terest  to  his  glib  talk  of  the  Porcupine  and  of  other 
regions  to  the  eastward,  while  some  even  went  so  far 
as  to  express  regret  that  he  had  not  met  their  friend 
Goldollar. 

He  always  turned  the  conversation  at  this  point ; 
nor  did  he  again  refer  to  the  name  of  his  dead  friend 
that  had  confronted  him  on  the  sign  of  the  Yukon 
Trading  Company.  At  the  same  time  it  caused  him  a 
great  deal  of  uneasiness,  and  led  him  to  think  seriously 
of  shortening  his  stay  in  the  camp  to  a  single  night. 

When  he,  in  turn,  inquired  about  the  prospects  of 
the  diggings,  and  learned  that  most  claims  had  to  be 
stripped  of  frozen  moss  and  thawed  out  before  they 
could  be  worked,  he  declared  that  he'd  see  the  whole 
country  and  its  gold  in  Jericho  before  he'd  strip  moss, 


THE   NEW    ARRIVAL  AT   FORTY    MILE  149 

which  he  denounced  as  work  only  fit  for  "Injuns"  and 
convicts. 

On  the  whole,  his  impressions  of  Camp  Forty  Mile 
were  so  unpleasant  that  he  fully  determined  to  get  his 
dog  teams  in  motion  the  very  next  day,  and  push  on 
farther  up  the  river.  It  was  only  upon  the  urgent  re 
quest  of  Mr.  Platt  Riley  that  he  consented  to  delay  his 
departure  long  enough  to  attend  a  public  meeting  of 
the  greatest  interest  to  all  Yukon  miners,  that  was  to 
be  held  the  first  thing  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 
LA.W   IN   THE    GOLD    DIGGINGS 

THE  latest  comer  to  Camp  Forty  Mile  was  not  par 
ticularly  anxious  to  attend  the  public  meeting  to  which 
he  was  invited  by  Mr.  Platt  Riley.  Still  he  thought  it 
better  to  do  so  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  offending 
his  host,  who  was  evidently  a  man  of  influence  in  the 
diggings.  His  overnight  reflections  having  convinced 
him  that  this  camp,  was  not  such  a  place  as  he  had  ex 
pected,  and  also  that  he  might  find  greater  safety  else 
where,  his  first  act  in  the  morning  was  to  order  his 
Indian  drivers  to  harness  the  dogs  and  be  prepared  for 
a  start  within  an  hour. 

Kurilla,  who  was  with  them  under  instructions  not 
to  lose  sight  of  them,  grinned  when  he  heard  this,  for 
he  had  picked  up  an  inkling  of  what  was  going  on, 
and  felt  pretty  certain  that  the  order  need  not  be 
obeyed. 

When  Mr.  Riley 's  reluctant  guest  entered  the  store 
of  the  Yukon  Trading  Company,  in  which,  on  account 
of  its  size,  the  meeting  was  to  be  held,  he  fully  intend 
ed  to  take  a  back  seat  and  slip  out  as  soon  as  he  could 
do  so  unnoticed.  The  place  was  so  filled  with  miners, 
however,  that  there  were  no  back  seats,  and,  to  his 
surprise,  the  crowd  pressed  aside  as  he  and  Mr.  Riley 
entered,  so  as  to  leave  a  passage  to  the  farther  end  of 
the  room.  A  moment  later,  without  knowing  just  how 
it  had  been  done,  he  found  himself  seated  beside  Jalap 
Coombs's  friend,  Skiff  Bettens,  who  obligingly  made  a 


LAW   IN   THE   GOLD   DIGGINGS  151 

place  for  him.  He  noticed,  with  some  curiosity,  that 
twelve  men  were  seated  on  benches  directly  opposite 
to  him,  while  all  the  rest  of  the  crowd  were  standing. 
Between  him  and  these  men  was  an  open  space,  at  the 
upper  end  of  which  were  a  table  and  a  chair  raised  on 
a  rude  platform. 

To  this  platform  Mr.  Platt  Riley  made  his  way,  and 
seating  himself  in  the  cfaair,  rapped  on  the  table  for 
silence.  Then  rising,  he  said  : 

"  Gentlemen  of  the  jury  and  fellow- citizens, — This 
court  is  now  open  for  business,  and  I  as  its  judge,  elect 
ed  by  your  votes,  am  prepared  to  administer  justice  in 
accordance  with  your  laws  and  such  verdicts  as  may 
be  rendered  by  your  jury." 

"  It  is  a  court,"  thought  Strengel,  with  a  shiver. 

"  The  case  to  be  tried  this  morning,"  continued  the 
judge,  "  is  one  that  touches  the  pocket,  the  life,  and 
the  honor  of  every  miner  in  the  Yukon  Valley,  for  the 
prisoner  at  the  bar  is  indicted  on  three  separate  counts 
as  a  thief,  a  murderer,  and  an  unmitigated  scoundrel. 
He  has  come  into  our  camp  under  a  false  name  and  with 
a  false  story,  after  having  attempted  the  destruction  of 
a  steamer  that  is  bringing  goods  and  machinery  of 
which  we  are  greatly  in  need. 

"  He  is  charged  with  robbing  and  leaving  helpless  in 
the  wilderness  a  man  whom  we  all  know  and  respect, 
and  also  with  robbing  and  deserting  while  seriously  ill 
his  own  companion,  who  was  on  his  way  to  visit  us  in 
behalf  of  our  old-established  trading  company." 

Strengel  listened  to  these  terrible  words  with  an 
ever-increasing  paleness  and  visible  agitation.  Finally, 
clapping  a  hand  to  his  face,  as  though  seized  with  a 
sudden  illness,  he  started  to  rise  and  leave  the  room. 

"  Sit  down,"  ordered  Skiff  Bettens  in  a  low  tone,  at 
the  same  time  jerking  him  back  to  his  seat.  Then  the 
man  knew  that  he  was  indeed  a  prisoner. 


152  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"To  prove  these  serious  charges,"  continued  the 
judge,  "I  am  about  to  call  several  witnesses.  At  the 
same  time  the  prisoner  will  be  given  the  privilege  of 
cross-questioning  them,  and  of  pleading  in  his  own  be 
half.  Mr.  Philip  Ryder." 

At  this  summons  Phil  advanced  from  the  farther  end 
of  the  room,  and  the  prisoner  regarded  him  with  un 
disguised  amazement. 

After  answering  the  usual  questions  regarding  his 
personality  and  business,  Phil  was  asked  if  he  knew 
the  prisoner, 

"  I  do,"  he  answered. 

"  What  is  his  name  ?" 

"  I  understand  that  he  now  calls  himself  Bradwick, 
but  a  few  months  ago  he  went  by  the  name  of  Stren- 
gel." 

"That's  a  lie!"  shouted  the  prisoner,  hoarsely. 

"Silence!"  commanded  the  judge.  "Now  Mr. 
Ryder,  tell  the  jury  what  you  know  concerning  the  ac 
cused  from  the  time  of  your  first  meeting  with  him  up 
to  the  present." 

This  Phil  did  as  briefly  as  possible,  and  when  he  had 
finished  the  prisoner  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  face  black 
with  rage,  and  exclaimed:,  "  Why  should  this  fellow's 
story  be  believed  rather  than  mine?  Who  knows  any 
thing  about  him,  or  even  who  he  is  ?  He  was  picked 
up  in  Bering  Sea,  drifting  about  in  a  stolen  canoe.  At 
St.  Michaels  he  was  known  as  a  thief  and  a  brawler.  I 
happen  to  know  that  he  has  been  locked  up  in  a  Vic 
toria  police-station,  and  I  demand  that  his  evidence  be 
thrown  out." 

"  That  will  do,  sir,"  said  the  judge.  "  I  happen  to 
know  this  young  man  and  his  family  so  well  that  I  am 
willing  to  vouch  for  him  if  necessary.  Do  you  wish 
to  question  him?  No?  Then  we  will  proceed.  Mr. 
Serge  Belcofsky." 


LAW   IN   THE    GOLD    DIGGINGS  153 

Serge,  of  course,  identified  the  prisoner  as  Strengel, 
and  corroborated  Phil's  story  in  every  detail. 

"  This  ends  the  testimony  on  the  first  charge,"  an 
nounced  the  judge  when  Serge  had  finished,  and  the 
prisoner  sullenly  declined  to  question  him.  "  In  proof 
of  the  second  charge,  that  of  robbery  and  desertion,  I 
call  as  witness  Mr.  Jalap  Coombs." 

As  the  ex-mate  of  the  Seamew  advanced  to  the  stand 
the  prisoner  stared  at  him  as  though  he  were  a  ghost, 
nor  could  he  imagine  by  what  miracle  this  witness 
had  reached  Forty  Mile  in  time  to  appear  against 
him. 

Jalap  Coombs  told  his  story  in  his  own  picturesque 
language,  but  in  a  perfectly  straightforward  manner, 
and  without  the  slightest  hesitation. 

When  he  finished,  the  judge  questioned  him  very 
closely  as  to  the  amount  of  money  given  him  by  Mr. 
John  Ryder,  and  the  prices  paid  for  various  articles  of 
his  outfit  at  St.  Michaels. 

As  a  defence  against  this  charge  the  prisoner  claimed 
that  Jalap  Coombs  had  not  been  deserted  by  Simon 
Goldollar  and  himself,  but  had  voluntarily  turned  back, 
and  that  the  dogs  they  had  left  with  him  had  run  away 
to  follow  them  much  against  their  wishes.  He  also 
stated  that  they  had  taken  the  dogs  and  sledge  back 
to  the  place  where  they  last  saw  Jalap  Coombs,  but 
that  they  could  not  find  him. 

"  They  were  not  his  dogs,  anyway,  judge,"  he  con 
tinued,  "  nor  did  he  furnish  any  of  our  outfit  except  a 
few  provisions,  most  of  which  he  traded  to  the  Indians 
on  his  own  account.  This  man  Coombs  was  a  sailor, 
supposed  to  be  a  deserter  from  some  ship,  and  was 
loafing  around  St.  Michaels  half  starved  when  we  picked 
him  up.  He  claimed  to  have  some  friends  on  the  river 
who  would  help  him,  and  so  we  brought  him  along  out 
of  charity." 


154  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

"  May  I  toot  a  horn,  jedge  ?"  asked  Mr.  Skiff  Bettens, 
rising  as  the  prisoner  concluded  his  remarks. 

"  Certainly  you  may,  marshal." 

"  Waal,  I  only  wanted  to  say  that  I've  knowed  Mr. 
Jalap  Coombs  off  and  on  for  a  good  many  years,  and 
in  all  that  time  I've  never  knowed  him  to  tell  a  lie  nor 
yet  do  a  mean  thing.  Moreover,  I'm  willing  to  stake 
my  pile  on  his  honesty  agin  that  of  any  living  man, 
for  a  better  sailor,  a  squarer  man,  and  a  truer  friend 
never  trod  a  deck." 

This  sincere  tribute  so  affected  the  simple-hearted 
sailor-man  that  he  could  only  stare  open-mouthed  at 
the  speaker,  as  though  he  were  talking  in  some  myste 
rious  language,  though  in  after-years  he  often  referred 
to  this  as  the  proudest  moment  of  his  life.  The  remain 
der  of  the  audience  greeted  the  marshal's  little  speech 
with  an  outburst  of  applause,  which  the  judge  was  final 
ly  obliged  to  check. 

"Letting  charge  number  two  rest  with  the  testi 
mony  taken,"  said  the  judge,  when  quiet  was  restored, 
"  we  will  take  up  charge  number  three,  which  is  the 
most  serious  of  all.  We  have  already  leai'ned  that  the 
accused,  under  the  name  of  Strengel,  passed  old  Fort 
Adams  about  a  month  ago,  bound  for  this  place  in 
company  with  a  man  named  Goldollar,  who  appears  to 
be  a  pretty  tough  character  himself,  though  that  of 
course  has  nothing  to  do  with  this  case.  The  accused 
at  that  time  had  little  or  nothing  of  his  own,  either  in 
the  way  of  money  or  outfit,  while  Goldollar  appears  to 
have  been  well  fixed  with  both.  Now  this  man  turns  up 
in  this  j»lace  alone  under  the  name  of  Brad  wick,  telling 
a  story  about  having  come  from  up  the  Porcupine  that  he 
has  since  admitted  to  be  false,  and  in  possession  of  the 
outfit  formerly  owned  by  Mr.Coombs  and  Simon  Goldol 
lar.  Of  course,  under  the  circumstances,  the  question 
naturally  to  be  asked  is,  what  has  become  of  Goldollar?" 


LAW    IN    THE   GOLD   DIGGINGS  155 

"  He  got  sick  of  the  trip  and  turned  back  from  Yu 
kon,"  explained  the  prisoner,  sulkily. 

"Yes,  we've  heard  he  took  sick,"  replied  the  judge; 
"  but  whether  he  turned  back  or  was  left  to  die  in  an 
Indian  rancheria  is  another  question.  Mr.  Coombs, 
will  you  please  take  the  stand  again  ?" 

This  time  Jalap  Coombs  testified  that  he  had  care 
fully  examined  the  outfit  brought  into  camp  the  night 
before  by  the  prisoner,  and  found  it  to  contain  the 
same  number  of  sledges,  the  same  number  of  dogs,  and 
the  identical  articles,  with  the  exception  of  a  certain 
quantity  of  provisions,  that  had  composed  it  at  old  Fort 
Adams. 

"  We  will  now  call  on  one  other  witness,"  announced 
the  judge,  and  the  prisoner  started  as  though  he  ex 
pected  to  see  Simon  Goldollar  himself  appear  on  the 
stand.  What  he  did  see  was  one  of  his  own  native 
drivers  from  Fort  Yukon,  with  Kurilla  to  act  as  inter 
preter. 

"  Do  you  admit  Injun  testimony  in  this  court  ?"  he 
asked,  disgustedly. 

"  Certainly  we  do,"  replied  the  judge. 

"If  I'd  known  that,"  he  muttered,  "I'd  have 
bought  a  dozen  or  so  to  testify  on  my  side." 

The  Indian's  testimony  was  to  the  effect  that  this 
white  man  had  left  another  white  man  in  a  native  hut 
at  Fort  Yukon  so  sick  that  all  the  Indians  thought  he 
would  die. 

"Of  course  I  can't  buck  agin  Injun  testimony," 
growled  the  prisoner;  "  but  I  say  it's  a  lie,  all  the  same, 
and  don't  prove  nothing." 

"  There  is  one  thing  that  we  must  not  neglect,"  said 
the  judge.  "  Marshall,  you  may  search  the  prisoner." 

The  latter  struggled  furiously,  but  was  overpowered 
and  held  by  strong  hands  while  the  marshall  searched 
his  pockets.  From  these  were  produced  a  number  of 


156  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

articles,  including  a  wallet,  which  the  judge  opened, 
spreading  its  contents  on  the  table  before  him. 

"Do  you  recognize  anything  here?"  he  asked  of 
Jalap  Coombs. 

"  I  can  identify  this  as  having  been  in  Goldollar's 
possession,"  answered  the  mate,  picking  up  one  of  the 
articles  that  had  dropped  from  the  wallet,  and  holding 
it  so  that  all  might  see. 

Both  Phil  and  Serge  uttered  exclamations  of  amaze 
ment,  for  the  object  thus  exhibited  was'  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  the  mysteriously  carved  and  almost  for 
gotten  fur-seal's  tooth  that  had  already  exerted  so 
great  an  influence  upon  their  fortunes. 


CHAPTER    XXIV 
BEAPPEABANCE    OF   THE    FUE-SEAL's    TOOTH 

"  WHAT  do  you  know  about  this  thing  ?"  asked  the 
judge  of  Jalap  Coombs,  taking  the  fur-seal's  tooth 
from  him  and  examining  it  curiously. 

"  I  know  that  there  were  an  old  Eskimo  at  St.  Mi 
chaels  what  were  shipped  by  Goldollar  to  go  with  us 
to  Nulato  as  dog-driver.  He  wore  this  bit  of  ivory 
hung  about  his  neck,  and  seemed  to  set  a  heap  by  it. 
One  time  when  he  were  looking  at  it  I  heerd  Goldollar 
say  that  by  rights  it  belonged  to  him,  seeing  as  he  got 
it  from  some  natyve,  and  it  were  afterwards  stole  from 
him.  He  didn't  say  nothing  to  the  Husky  about  it, 
but  when  we  got  to  Nulato  he  give  him  so  much  liquor 
that  in  the  morning  the  old  chap  couldn't  be  woke  up. 
Goldollar  fooled  round  him  a  while,  and  then  saying 
he'd  have  to  give  up  the  job  of  waking  him,  left  him, 
and  ordered  the  teams  to  pull  out.  I  afterwards  seen 
Goldollar  take  that  very  identical  tooth  outen  his  pock 
et  several  times  and  look  at  it  like  it  were  a  diamond 
or  some  sich,  and  heerd  him  tell  Strengel  that  any  man 
as  owned  it  would  surely  have  luck.  It  didn't  seem  to 
bring  him  none,  though.  Leastways  no  good  luck,  for 
he  hain't  had  nothing  but  bad  luck  sence." 

"  Was  it  your  impression  that  you  could  win  good 
luck  by  stealing  this  tooth  ?"  inquired  the  judge  of 
Strengel. 

"  I  didn't  steal  it,"  answered  the  prisoner,  sullenly. 

"  How  did  you  get  it,  then  ?" 


158  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"  Goldollar  give  it  to  me." 

"Where  did  you  leave  Goldollar?" 

"At  Fort  Yukon." 

"  Was  he  in  good  health  when  you  last  saw  him  ?" 

"I  refuse  to  answer  any  more  questions,"  replied  the 
prisoner,  suddenly  realizing  how  deeply  he  was  commit 
ting  himself. 

"Very  well,"  said  the  judge.  "I  think  you  have 
already  told  enough  to  give  us  a  pretty  fair  idea  of  the 
particular  kind  of  a  scoundrel  you  are.  So,  if  you 
have  nothing  more  to  say,  I  declare  this  case  closed 
and  in  the  hands  of  the  jury.  Gentlemen,  the  court 
awaits  your  verdict." 

As  there  was  no  room  to  which  the  jury  could  retire, 
they  put  their  heads  together  and  consulted  in  whis 
pers,  during  which  time  Phil  told  the  judge  what  he 
knew  about  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  together  with  the  le 
gend  of  good  and  bad  luck  supposed  to  accompany  its 
possession.  The  spectators  of  the  trial  buzzed  like  a 
swarm  of  angry  hornets,  and  cast  wrathful  glances  at 
the  prisoner  who  had  just  been  proved  so  worthy  of 
their  contempt. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  jury  ended  their  conference 
and  resumed  their  places.  Then,  as  order  was  restored, 
the  foreman,  standing  up,  announced  that  they  were 
unanimous  in  finding  the  prisoner  guilty  on  all  three  of 
the  charges  preferred  against  him,  and  recommended 
that  he  be  so  punished  as  to  afford  a  warning  to  others 
of  his  kind  who  might  be  contemplating  a  visit  to  the 
Yukon  diggings. 

"  Hang  him !"  cried  some  one  in  the  crowd. 

"  Shoot  him  !"  shouted  another. 

"  Drive  him  out  of  camp,  and  set  him  adrift  like  he 
done  to  Jalap  Coombs,"  suggested  a  third. 

"  Silence !"  roared  Judge  Platt  Riley,  standing  in 
his  place  and  gazing  sternly  about  him.  "You  for- 


REAPPEARANCE   OF   THE   FUR-8EAI/S   TOOTH       159 

get,  gentlemen,  that  this  is  a  court  of  law,  and  though 
maybe  it  isn't  run  with  all  the  frills  of  some,  it's 
bound  to  be  respected.  Likewise,  it  proposes  to  pro 
nounce  its  own  decisions.  In  regard  to  the  prisoner 
now  awaiting  sentence,  he  has  been  proved  by  the  tes 
timony  of  reputable  witnesses,  and  by  his  own  admis 
sions,  to  be  a  liar,  a  traitor,  a  dog-stealer,  which  in  this 
country  is  the  same  as  a  hoss-thief  in  the  States,  and 
a  robber  of  his  travelling  companion  under  circum 
stances  that  make  him  at  the  same  time  come  pretty 
near  to  being  a  murderer.  For  such  as  he  hanging 
would  be  none  too  severe.  But  we  have  never  yet 
hanged  a  man  in  Forty  Mile,  and  we  don't  want  to  be 
gin  if  we  can  help  it.  The  prisoner  has  expressed  a 
desire  to  learn  something  of  our  methods  of  working 
these  diggings,  and  we  promised  to  teach  him.  He  has 
also  remarked  that  moss-stripping  was  a  job  well  suited 
to  convicts.  So  be  it.  Prisoner  at  the  bar,  stand  up 
and  receive  your  sentence." 

When  the  wretched  man,  who  had  fancied  himself  in 
a  country  where  he  could  commit  any  crime  without  fear 
of  punishment,  had  been  assisted  to  his  feet  by  Mar 
shal  Bettens  and  a  volunteer  deputy,  the  judge  said : 

"  By  a  fair  trial,  according  to  Yukon  law,  you  are 
convicted  of  crimes  such  as  this  community  does  not 
allow  to  go  unpunished.  On  account  of  them  you  are 
hereby  sentenced  to  strip  moss  from  the  several  claims 
of  this  camp  during  every  working-hour  of  every  work 
ing-day  from  now  until  such  time  as  the  first  steamer 
reaches  here  from  the  lower  river  and  is  ready  to  re 
turn.  Then  you  will  be  allowed  to  work  your  way  on 
her  to  St.  Michaels,  where  may  the  agent  have  mercy 
upon  you. 

"  In  the  meantime,  when  not  at  work,  you  will  be 
closely  confined  in  the  camp  lock-up,  under  guard  of  the 
marshal,  who  shall  be  entitled  to  your  services  for  two 


160  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

days  in  every  week  for  his  trouble.  On  other  days  he 
will  hire  you  out  to  any  miner  who  has  moss  to  be 
stripped,  and  who  will  pay  for  your  keep  during  such 
time  as  you  may  work  for  him." 

This  iinique  but  just  sentence  was  greeted  with  a 
murmur  of  approval  from  the  spectators  ;  but  this  was 
quickly  silenced  by  a  frown  from  the  judge,  who  con 
tinued  : 

"All  the  property  that  you  brought  into  this  camp, 
including  money  and  outfit,  excepting  your  personal 
clothing,  is  hereby  confiscated,  to  be  disposed  of  as  fol 
lows  :  One  team  of  dogs,  one  sledge,  and  half  the  cash 
found  in  your  possession  shall  be  restored  to  Mr.  Jalap 
Coombs,  from  whom  you  helped  to  steal  them.  The  re 
mainder  of  the  money,  after  the  Indian  drivers  who 
came  with  you  have  been  paid,  and  one  dog  team  shall 
be  devoted  to  the  relief  of  Simon  Goldollar,  who, 
though  he  seems  to  be  a  pretty  bad  lot,  is  still  a  white 
man,  and  so  must  not  be  allowed  to  perish  if  it  can  be 
helped.  The  third  dog  team  shall  become  the  proper 
ty  of  Marshal  Bettens  in  place  of  a  fee  for  his  services. 
The  remainder  of  the  property,  provisions,  and  so 
forth,  shall  be  devoted  to  the  support  of  the  prisoner 
during  such  times  as  he  is  working  for  the  marshal. 
Mr.  Bettens  will  now  remove  his  prisoner,  and  I  here 
by  declare  this  court  adjourned." 

This  triumph  of  the  law  and  Judge  Riley's  decision 
gave  such  universal  satisfaction  to  the  spectators  of  that 
trial  that  they  yelled  with  delight  as  they  poured  from 
the  court-room  door.  They  congratulated  one  another 
on  the  perfection  of  their  home-made  code,  and  the 
promptness  with  which  its  provisions  were  dealt  out  to 
evil-doers. 

From  that  day  on  every  man  in  camp  exhibited  such 
a  lively  interest  in  the  moss-stripping  operations  of 
Mr.  Bradwick-Strengel  that  many  times  when,  thinking 


KEAPPEAKANCE   OF   THE   FUR-SEAL7  S   TOOTH        161 

himself  unobserved,  he  attempted  to  shirk  his  work  he 
was  roused  to  renewed  industry  by  the  playful  pop  of 
a  gun,  and  the  warning  note  of  a  bullet  in  close  prox 
imity  to  his  place  of  business.  Thus  was  he  given  such 
ample  experience  of  gold-mining  on  the  Yukon  that 
when,  some  months  later,  a  boat  arrived  from  the 
lower  river,  he  thankfully  departed  from  Camp  Forty 
Mile,  mentally  vowing  never  to  return. 

After  consulting  with  Phil,  Serge,  and  Jalap 
Coombs  Mr.  Platt  Riley,  who  objected  to  being  called 
"judge"  outside  of  court,  decided  to  intrust  Simon 
Goldollar's  rescue  from  the  Indian  village  in  which  he 
had  been  left  to  Kurilla  and  Chitsah,  who  were  per 
suaded  by  a  liberal  payment  to  return  home  that  way. 
Another  Indian  was  hired  to  accompany  them  as  far 
as  Fort  Yukon,  and  bring  back  word  to  Forty  Mile  of 
their  success.  If  they  found  him  alive  and  able  to 
travel,  they  were  to  carry  him  with  them  to  Anvik. 

Phil  wrote  and  sent  him  a  letter,  in  which  he  apolo 
gized  for  having  accused  him  of  stealing  his  money  or 
the  fur-seal's  tooth,  Jalap  Coombs  having  told  him  the 
facts  concerning  these  things,  and  hoped  he  would  re 
turn  to  St.  Michaels  in  safety.  Long  afterwards  he 
learned  that  Simon  Goldollar  did  make  his  way  down 
the  river,  aided  by  Kurilla  and  Chitsah,  and  was  sent 
on  by  Gerald  Hamer  from  Anvik  to  St.  Michaels. 
There  he  was  discharged  from  the  company's  employ 
on  account  of  the  failure  of  his  expedition,  and  finally 
left  Alaska  in  the  same  ship  that  bore  ex-convict 
Strengel  from  its  shores.  An  amusing  feature  of  it  all 
was  that  both  these  rascals  attributed  the  ill  success  of 
their  undertakings  to  the  unlucky  influence  of  the  fur- 
seal's  tooth. 

This  industrious  bit  of  ivory,  which  exhibited  such  a 
fondness  for  interfering  with  the  affairs  of  men  and 

boys,  as  well  as  such  activity  in  rapid  travel  and  change 
11 


162  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

of  ownership,  reposed  for  several  days  in  Mr.  Platt 
Riley's  vest-pocket,  where  it  had  been  unconsciously 
thrust  and  forgotten.  Finally,  tired  of  being  thus  neg 
lected,  it  worked  a  hole  through  the  pocket  and  fell  to 
the  floor.  From  there  it  was  snapped  up  by  Mr.  Riley's 
favorite  dog,  who  lay  at  his  feet,  and  doubtless  imag 
ined  it  to  be  a  choice  morsel  provided  for  him  by  his 
indulgent  master.  A  moment  later  the  judge  was 
aroused  from  a  reverie  by  the  frantic  struggles  of  his 
dog,  who  seemed  on  the  point  of  strangulation.  When 
he  succeeded,  by  prompt  effort,  in  removing  the  ob 
struction  from  the  animal's  throat,  and,  with  a  feeling 
of  superstitious  amazement,  discovered  its  nature,  he 
started  at  once  for  the  store  of  the  Yukon  Trading 
Company,  determined  to  be  rid  of  the  uncanny  object 
as  quickly  as  possible. 

It  so  happened  that  none  of  the  three  occupants  of 
the  premises  was  at  home,  nor  were  they  to  be  seen  in 
any  direction.  They  had  been  preparing  for  departure, 
and  many  articles  ready  for  packing  on  the  sledges  lay 
scattered  about  the  room.  Among  these  was  a  fur 
sleeping-bag,  on  which  Mr.  Riley's  eye  no  sooner  rest 
ed  than  he  thrust  the  magic  tooth  into  it  and  shook  it 
to  the  very  bottom. 

"  There !"  he  exclaimed,  "  they  are  sure  to  take  it 
with  them  ;  one  of  them  will  find  it  sooner  or  later, 
and  maybe  it  will  bring  him  good  luck.  At  any  rate, 
I  hope  it  will." 

It  was  now  the  month  of  February,  and  high  time 
for  our  travellers  to  be  on  their  way  if  they  wished  to 
have  snow  to  the  end  of  their  sledge  journey.  Phil 
had  made  most  satisfactory  business  arrangements  for 
Gerald  Hamer,  had  sent  that  gentleman  a  long  report 
of  their  progress  to  date  by  Kurilla,  who  also  bore  let 
ters  from  himself  and  Serge  to  their  kind  friends  at 
Anvik,  and  was  now  impatient  to  push  forward. 


BEAPPEAKANCE   OF   THE   FUB-SEAI/S   TOOTH        163 

So  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  February,  although 
the  thermometer  registered  forty-eight  degrees  below 
zero,  the  little  party  set  forth  from  'Forty  Mile  with 
three  sledges  and  seventeen  dogs.  Above  the  first 
sledge  fluttered  a  small  flag,  on  which  appeared  the 
magic  letters  "U.  S.  M.,"  signifying  that  Phil  had  un 
dertaken  to  deliver  on  the  coast  a  large  packet  of  let 
ters,  the  first  mail  ever  sent  out  from  Forty  Mile  in 
winter. 

The  entire  population  of  the  camp  was  assembled 
to  see  them  off ;  and  amid  sincere  expressions  of 
good-will,  a  round  of  hearty  cheers,  and  a  ringing 
volley  the  sledges  dashed  away  up  the  Yukon,  with 
seven  hundred  miles  of  their  journey  still  to  be  ac 
complished. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
SEEGE   DISCOVERS   A   CTJEIOUS    CAVERN 

AT  the  point  where  our  travellers  had  again  struck 
the  Yukon,  nearly  fifteen  hundred  miles  from  its  mouth, 
it  was  still  a  mighty  stream  two  miles  wide.  Above 
this  they  found  it  bounded  on  both  sides  by  mountains 
that  often  approached  to  its  very  waters,  where,  in 
sheer  precipices  hundreds  of  feet  high,  they  form 
gigantic  palisades  similar  to  those  of  the  Hudson, 
which  are  known  as  the  "  Upper  Ramparts."  On  the 
lower  river  the  sledge  party  had  journeyed  over  a 
smooth  surface,  offering  but  few  obstructions.  Their 
course  from  Anvik  had  at  first  been  due  north,  then 
northeast,  then  east,  and  was  now  due  south,  the 
source  of  the  Yukon  towards  which  they  were  trav 
elling  being  some  ten  degrees  south  of  its  great  arc 
tic  bend. 

Owing  to  this  they  now  found  themselves  confront 
ed  by  the  hardest  kind  of  sledging  over  rough,  hum- 
mocky  ice  that  was  often  piled  in  chaotic  ridges  twenty 
and  thirty  feet  high.  As  the  river  freezes  first  at  its 
most  northerly  point,  and  this  belt  of  solid  ice  is  grad 
ually  extended  south,  or  back  towards  its  source,  the 
floating  cakes  of  its  upper  reaches,  borne  by  the  swift 
current,  are  piled  on  the  ever  -  advancing  barrier  in 
confused  masses  that  stretch  across  the  river  like 
windrows. 

In  the  spring,  when  the  ice  breaks  up  and  is  hurled 
irresistibly  down  stream  on  the  swollen  current,  the 


SEKGE   DISCOVERS   A   CCKIOUS    CAVEKN  165 

same  effect  is  reproduced  on  a  vastly  increased  scale. 
Then  the  upper  river  breaks  first,  and  a  sudden  rise  of 
water  from  some  great  tributary  starts  the  ice  over  the 
still  solid  barrier  below.  The  huge  cakes  slide,  jam, 
push,  and  crash  over  the  still  unbroken  ice  sheet,  until 
they  are  piled  in  a  vast  gleaming  mass  seventy  or 
eighty  feet  in  height,  from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  one 
mile  in  length,  and  extending  from  bank  to  bank. 

This  mighty  gorge  must  give  way  at  length,  and 
when  it  does  it  goes  with  a  roaring  fury  that  is  ter 
rifying  and  grand  beyond  description.  After  grind 
ing  and  tearing  onward  for  several  miles,  or  perhaps 
less  than  one,  the  furious  impulse  is  again  checked  by 
another  solid  barrier,  which  must  in  turn  be  broken 
down  and  swept  away,  its  added  weight  giving  in 
creased  energy  to  the  mighty  force. 

So  the  ice  crashes  its  resistless  way  down  the  whole 
Yukon  Valley  to  Bering  Sea,  two  thousand  miles  dis 
tant,  sweeping  everything  before  it,  mowing  down  vast 
areas  of  forest,  submerging  islands,  tearing  out  banks, 
and  leaving  everywhere  traces  of  its  terrible  progress 
in  the  shape  of  huge  ice  cakes,  weighing  many  tons, 
stranded  high  above  ordinary  water-level. 

Although  Phil  Ryder  and  his  companions  were  not 
to  witness  this  grand  exhibition  of  one  of  nature's 
mightiest  forces,  they  were  sadly  inconvenienced  and 
delayed  by  the  uncomfortable  fashion  in  which  their 
frozen  highway  had  been  constructed  some  months 
earlier.  If  they  could  have  left  the  river  and  followed 
along  its  banks  they  would  have  done  so;  but  this  was 
out  of  the  question,  not  only  on  account  of  their  rugged 
character,  but  because  on  their  timbered  portions  the 
snow  lay  many  feet  in  depth,  while  from  the  river  it 
had  been  so  blown  by  strong  north  winds  that  for  long 
stretches  the  ice  was  barely  covered.  This  enabled 
the  sledge  men  to  walk  without  snow-shoes,  which  was 


166  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

a  great  comfort  to  all  three,  but  especially  to  Jalap 
Coombs,  who  had  not  yet  learned  to  use  the  netted 
frames  with  "  ease  and  fluency,"  as  Phil  said. 

To  this  light-hearted  youth  the  sight  of  his  sailor 
friend  wrestling  with  the  difficulties  of  inland  naviga 
tion  as  practised  in  arctic  regions  afforded  a  never- 
failing  source  of  mirth.  A  single  glance  at  Jalap's  lank 
figure  enveloped  in  furs,  with  his  weather-beaten  face 
peering  from  the  recesses  of  a  hair-fringed  hood,  was 
enough  at  any  time  to  make  Phil  laugh.  Jalap  on 
snow-shoes  that,  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts,  would  slide 
in  every  direction  but  the  one  desired,  and  Jalap  gaz 
ing  at  a  frosty  world  through  a  pair  of  wooden  snow- 
goggles,  were  sights  that  even  sober-sided  Serge  found 
humorous. 

But  funniest  of  all  was  to  see  Jalap  drive  a  dog 
team.  This  he  was  now  obliged  to  do,  for,  while  they 
still  had  three  sledges,  they  had  been  unable  to  procure 
any  Indians  at  Forty  Mile  to  take  the  places  of  Kurilla 
and  Chitsah.  So  while  Phil,  who  was  now  an  expert 
in  the  art  of  dog-driving,  and  could  handle  a  six-yard 
whip  like  a  native,  took  turns  with  Serge  in  breaking 
the  road,  Jalap  was  always  allowed  to  bring  up  the 
rear.  His  dogs  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  whip, 
except,  indeed,  when  it  tripped  him  up  so  that  he  fell 
on  top  of  them,  but  they  cringed  and  whined  beneath 
the  torrent  of  incomprehensible  sea  terms  incessantly 
poured  forth  by  the  strange  master,  who  talked  to  them 
as  though  they  were  so  many  lubberly  sailors. 

"  Port  your  helium  !  Hard  a-port !"  he  would  roar 
to  the  accompaniment  of  flying  chunks  of  ice  that  he 
could  throw  with  amazing  certainty  of  aim.  Then, 
"  Steady  !  So  !  Start  a  sheet  and  give  her  a  rap  full. 
Now  keep  her  so  !  Keep  her  so  !  D'ye  hear  ?  Let 
her  fall  off  a  fraction  of  a  p'int  and  I'll  rake  ye  fore 
and  aft.  Now,  then,  bullies,  pull  all  together.  Yo-ho, 


8EEGE    DISCOVERS   A   CURIOUS   CAVERN  167 

heave  !  No  sojering  !  Ah,  you  will,  will  ye,  ye  furry 
sea-cook  !  Then  take  that,  and  stow  it  in  your  bread- 
locker.  Shake  your  hay-seed  and  climb — climb,  I  tell 
ye !  Avast  heaving !"  And  so  on,  hour  after  hour, 
while  the  dogs  would  jump  and  pull  and  tangle  their 
"  running-rigging,"  as  Jalap  named  the  trace-thongs, 
and  the  two  boys  would  shout  with  laughter. 

But  while  the  journey  thus  furnished  something  of 
merriment,  it  was  also  filled  with  tribulations.  So  bit 
ter  was  the  cold  that  their  bloodless  lips  were  often  too 
stiff  for  laughter  or  even  for  speech.  So  rough  was 
the  way  that  they  rarely  made  more  than  eight  or  ten 
miles  in  a  day  of  exhausting  labor.  Several  dogs  broke 
their  legs  amid  the  chaotic  ice  blocks  of  the  ever- 
recurring  ridges,  and  had  to  be  shot.  Along  the  pali 
saded  Ramparts  it  was  difficult  to  find  timbered  places 
in  which  to  camp.  Their  dog  feed  was  running  low, 
and  there  was  none  to  be  had  in  the  wretched  native 
villages  that  they  passed  at  long  intervals. 

At  length  the  setting  sun  of  one  evening  found  them 
at  a  point  where  the  river,  narrowed  to  a  few  hundred 
yards,  was  bounded  on  one  side  by  a  lofty  precipice 
of  rock,  and  on  the  other  by  a  steeply  sloping  bank 
that,  devoid  of  timber,  seemed  to  descend  from  an 
open  plateau.  They  halted  beside  a  single  log  of  drift 
that,  half  embedded  in  ice,  was  the  only  available  bit 
of  firewood  in  sight.  It  was  a  bleak  and  bitter  place 
in  which  to  spend  an  arctic  night,  and  they  shivered 
in  anticipation  of  what  they  were  to  suffer  during  its 
long  hours. 

"  I  am  going  to  climb  to  the  top  of  the  bank,"  said 
Serge,  "  and  see  if  I  can't  find  some  more  wood.  If  I 
do,  I'll  roll  it  down ;  so  look  out !" 

Suiting  his  action  to  his  words,  the  active  lad  started 
with  a  run  that  carried  him  a  few  yards  up  the  steep 
ascent.  It  was  so  abrupt  that  he  was  on  the  point  of 


168  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

sliding  back,  and  dug  his  feet  sharply  into  the  snow 
to  secure  a  hold.  At  the  same  instant  he  uttered  a 
cry,  threw  up  his  arms,  and  dropped  from  the  sight 
of  his  astonished  companions  as  though  he  had  fallen 
down  a  well. 

Before  they  could  make  a  move  towards  his  rescue, 
they  were  more  astounded  than  ever  to  hear  his  voice, 
somewhat  muffled,  but  apparently  close  beside  them. 

"I'm  all  right !"  he  cried,  cheerily.  "  That  is,  I  think 
I  am,  and  I  believe  I  can  cut  my  way  out.  Don't  try 
to  climb  the  bank.  Just  wait  a  minute." 

Then  the  bank  began  to  tremble  as  though  shaken 
by  a  gentle  earthquake,  and  suddenly  a  hand  clutching 
a  knife  shot  out  from  it  so  close  to  Jalap  Coombs  that 
the  startled  sailor  leaped  back  to  avoid  it,  stumbled 
over  a  sledge,  and  plunged  headlong  among  his  own 
team  of  dogs,  who  were  lying  in  the  snow  beyond,  pa 
tiently  waiting  to  be  unharnessed.  By  the  time  the 
yelling,  howling  mass  of  man  and  dogs  was  disentan 
gled  and  separated,  Serge  had  emerged  from  the  mys 
terious  bank,  and  stood  looking  as  though  he  did  not 
quite  understand  what  had  happened.  Behind  him 
was  a  black  opening  into  which  Phil  was  peering  with 
the  liveliest  curiosity. 

"  Of  all  the  miracles  I  ever  heard  of,  this  is  the 
strangest  !"  he  cried.  "What  does  it  mean,  old 
man  ?" 

"I  don't  exactly  know,"  answered  Serge.  "But  I 
rather  think  it  is  a  moss  blanket.  Anyhow,  that's  an 
elegant  place  to  crawl  into  out  of  the  cold.  Seems  to 
be  plenty  of  wood,  too." 

Serge  was  right  in  his  conjecture.  What  appeared 
to  be  the  river-bank  was  merely  a  curtain  of  tough, 
closely  compacted  Alaskan  moss,  closely  resembling 
peat  in  its  structure,  one  foot  thick,  and  reaching  from 
the  crest  of  an  overhanging  bank  to  the  edge  of  the  river. 


SERGE   DISCOVERS   A   CURIOUS   CAVERN  169 

It  had  thus  held  together,  and  fallen  to  its  present  posi 
tion  when  the  river  undermined  and  swept  away  the 
earth  from  beneath  it.  That  it  presented  a  sloping 
surface  instead  of  hanging  perpendicularly  was  owing 
to  a  great  number  of  timbers,  the  ends  of  which  pro 
jected  from  the  excavated  bank  behind  it.  Serge  had 
broken  through  the  moss  curtain,  fallen  between  these 
timbers  to  the  beach,  and  then  cut  his  way  out.  Now, 
as  he  suggested,  what  better  camping-place  could  they 
ask  than  the  warm,  dry,  moss -enclosed  space  from 
which  he  had  just  emerged  ? 

"  I  never  saw  nor  heard  of  anything  so  particularly 
and  awfully  jolly  in  all  my  life,"  pronounced  Phil, 
after  the  three  travellers  had  entered  this  unique  cav 
ern,  and  started  a  fire  by  which  they  were  enabled  to 
see  something  of  its  strange  interior.  "And,  I  say, 
Serge,  what  a  thoughtful  scheme  it  was  on  your  part 
to  provide  a  chimney  for  the  fire  before  you  lighted  it! 
See  how  the  smoke  draws  up  ?  If  it  wasn't  for  that 
hole  in  the  roof  I  am  afraid  we  should  be  driven  out  of 
here  in  short  order.  But,  hello,  old  man  !  Whew-w! 
what  are  you  throwing  bones  on  the  fire  for  ?  It  re 
minds  me  of  your  brimstone-and-f eather  experiment  on 
Oonimak." 

"Bones!"  repeated  Serge,  in  surprise.  "Are  those 
bones  ?  I  thought  they  were  dry  sticks." 

"  I  should  say  they  were  bones  !"  cried  Phil,  snatch 
ing  a  couple  of  the  offending  objects  from  the  fire. 
"And,  sure  as  I  live,  this  log  I  am  sitting  on  is  a  bone, 
too.  Why,  it's  bigger  than  I  am.  It  begins  to  look 
as  though  this  place  were  some  sort  of  a  tomb.  But 
there's  plenty  of  wood.  Let's  throw  on  some  more  and 
light  up." 

"Toughest  wood  to  cut  I  ever  see,"  growled  Jalap 
Coombs,  who  was  hacking  away  at  another  half-buried 
log.  "  'Pears  to  be  brittle,  though,  and  splits  easy,"  he 


170  SNOW-SHOES  AND   SLEDGES 

added,  dodging  a  sliver  that  broke  off  and  flew  by  his 
head. 

"  Hold  on !"  cried  Phil,  picking  up  the  sliver. 
"You'll  ruin  the  axe.  That's  another  bone  you're 
chopping.  This  place  is  a  regular  giants'  cemetery." 


CHAPTER    XXVI 
CAMPING    'MID    PREHISTORIC    BONES 

So  strange  and  uncanny  was  the  place  in  which  our 
sledge  party  thus  unexpectedly  found  themselves  that 
Phil  was  for  exploring  it  and  attempting  to  determine 
its  true  character  at  once ;  but  practical  Serge  per 
suaded  him  to  wait  until  they  had  performed  their  reg 
ular  evening  duties  and  eaten  supper.  "After  that," 
he  said,  "  we  can  explore  all  night  if  we  choose." 

So  Phil  turned  his  attention  to  the  dogs,  which  he 
unharnessed  and  fed,  while  Serge  prepared  supper,  and 
Jalap  Coombs  gathered  a  supply  of  firewood  from  the 
bleached  timber  ends  projecting  from  the  bank  behind 
them.  He  tested  each  of  these  before  cutting  into  it 
to  make  certain  that  it  was  not  a  bone,  quantities  of 
which  were  mingled  with  the  timber. 

The  firewood  that  he  thus  collected  exhibited  several 
puzzling  peculiarities.  To  begin  with,  it  was  so  very 
tough  and  thoroughly  lifeless  that,  as  Jalap  Coombs 
remarked,  he  didn't  know  but  what  bones  would  cut 
just  as  easy.  When  laid  on  the  fire  it  was  slow  to  ig 
nite,  and  finally  only  smouldered,  giving  out  little  light, 
but  yielding  a  great  heat.  As  Serge  said,  it  made  one 
of  the  poorest  fires  to  see  by  and  one  of  the  best  to 
cook  over  that  he  had  ever  known. 

Although  in  all  their  experience  they  had  never  en 
joyed  a  more  comfortable  and  thoroughly  protected 
camping -place  than  this  one,  the  lack  of  their  usual 
cheerful  blaze  and  their  mysterious  surroundings  ere- 


172  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

ated  a  feeling  of  depression  that  caused  them  to  eat 
supper  in  unusual  silence.  At  its  conclusion  Serge 
picked  up  a  freshly  cut  bit  of  the  wood,  and,  holding 
it  in  as  good  a  light  as  he  could  get,  examined  it 
closely. 

"  I  never  saw  nor  heard  of  any  wood  like  this  in  all 
Alaska,"  he  said  at  length.  "  Do  you  suppose  this  can 
be  part  of  a  buried  forest  that  grew  perhaps  thousands 
of  years  ago  ?" 

"I  believe  that's  exactly  what  it  is,"  replied  Phil. 
"I  expect  it  was  some  awfully  prehistoric  forest  that 
was  blown  down  by  a  prehistoric  cyclone,  and  got  cov 
ered  with  mud  somehow,  and  was  just  beginning  to 
turn  into  coal  when  the  ice  age  set  in.  Thus  it  has 
been  preserved  in  cold  storage  ever  since.  It  must 
have  grown  in  one  of  the  ages  that  one  always  likes 
to  hear  of,  but  hates  to  study  about — a  palaeozoic  or 
silurian  or  post-tertiary,  or  one  of  those  times.  At 
any  rate,  I  expect  it  was  a  tropical  forest,  for  they  all 
were  in  those  days." 

"  Then  like  as  not  these  here  is  elephants'  bones,"  re 
marked  Jalap  Coombs.  "  I  were  jest  thinking  as  how 
this  one  had  a  look  of  ivory  about  it." 

"They  may  be,"  assented  Phil,  dubiously,  "but 
they  must  have  belonged  to  pretty  huge  old  elephants ; 
for  I  don't  believe  Jumbo's  bones  would  look  like  more 
than  toothpicks  alongside  some  of  these.  It  is  more 
likely  that  they  belonged  to  hairy  mammoths,  or  mas 
todons,  or  megatheriums,  or  plessiosauruses,  or  fellows 
like  that." 

"I  don't  know  as  I  ever  met  up  with  any  of  them, 
nor  yet  heerd  tell  of  'em,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  sim 
ply,  "onless  what  you've  jest  said  is  the  Latin  names 
of  rhinocerosses  or  hoponthomases  or  giraffles,  of  which 
my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  speak  quite  fre 
quent.  He  allus  said  consarning  'em,  though,  that 


CAMPING    ?MID   PREHISTORIC   BONES  173 

they'd  best  be  let  alone,  for  lions  nor  yet  taggers 
warn't  a  sarcumstance  to  'em.  Now  ef  these  here  bones 
belonged  to  any  sich  critters  as  them,  he  sartainly 
knowed  what  he  were  talking  about,  and  I  for  one 
are  well  pleased  that  they  all  went  dead  afore  we  hove 
in  sight." 

"  I  don't  know  but  what  I  am  too,"  assented  Phil, 
"  for  at  close  range  I  expect  it  would  be  safer  to  meet 
one  of  Mr.  Robinson's  taggers.  Still,  I  would  like  to 
have  seen  them  from  a  safe  place,  like  the  top  of  Gro- 
ton  Monument  or  behind  the  bars  of  a  bank  vault. 
Where  are  you  going,  Serge  ?" 

"  Going  for  some  wood  that  isn't  quite  so  prehistoric 
and  that  will  blaze,"  answered  the  other  lad,  who  had 
picked  up  an  axe  and  was  stepping  towards  the  en 
trance  to  the  cavern. 

"That's  a  scheme  !  Come  on,  Mr.  Coombs.  Let's 
help  him  tackle  that  up-to-date  log  outside,  and  see  if 
we  can't  get  a  modern  illumination  out  of  it,"  suggest 
ed  Phil. 

So  they  chopped  vigorously  at  the  ice-bound  drift- 
log  that  had  induced  them  to  halt  at  that  point,  and 
half  an  hour  later  the  gloom  of  their  cavern  was  dis 
pelled  by  a  roaring,  snapping,  up-to-date  blaze.  By 
its  cheerful  light  they  examined  with  intense  interest 
the  great  fossil  bones  that,  in  various  stages  of  preser 
vation,  lay  scattered  about  them. 

"  I  should  think  a  whole  herd  of  mammoths  must 
have  perished  at  once,"  said  Phil.  "  Probably  they  were 
being  hunted  by  some  antediluvian  Siwash  and  got 
bogged  in  a  quicksand.  How  I  wish  we  could  see  a 
whole  one !  But,  great  Scott !  now  we  have  gone  and 
done  it !" 

Phil's  final  exclamation  was  caused  by  a  crackling 
sound  overhead.  The  sloping  moss  roof  had  caught 
fire  from  the  leaping  blaze,  and  for  a  moment  the  dis- 


174  SNOW-SHOES    AND   SLEDGES 

mayed  spectators  of  this  catastrophe  imagined  that 
their  snug  camping-place  was  about  to  be  destroyed. 
They  quickly  saw,  however,  that  the  body  of  the  moss 
was  not  burning  ;  it  was  too  thoroughly  permeated 
with  ice  for  that,  and  that  the  fire  was  only  flashing 
over  its  dry  under  surface. 

As  they  watched  these  fitful  flames  running  along 
the  roof  and  illuminating  remote  recesses  of  the  cavern, 
all  three  suddenly  uttered  cries  of  amazement,  and 
each  called  the  attention  of  the  others  to  the  most 
wonderful  sight  he  had  ever  seen.  Brilliantly  lighted 
and  distinctly  outlined  against  the  dark  background  of 
a  clay  bank,  that  held  it  intact,  was  a  gigantic  skeleton 
complete  in  every  detail,  even  to  a  huge  tusk  that 
curved  outward  from  a  massive  skull.  For  a  single 
minute  they  gazed  in  breathless  awe.  Then  the  illu 
minating  flame  died  out,  and  like  a  dissolving  picture 
the  vast  outline  slowly  faded  from  view  and  was  lost 
in  the  blackness. 

"  Was  that  one  of  'em  ?"  gasped  Jalap  Coombs. 

"  I  expect  it  was,"  answered  Phil. 

"  Waal,  then,  old  Kite  didn't  make  no  mistake  when 
he  said  a  tagger  warn't  a  sarcumstance." 

"It  must  have  been  all  of  twenty  feet  high,"  re 
marked  Serge,  reflectively. 

For  more  than  an  hour  they  talked  of  the  wonderful 
sight,  and  Phil  told  what  he  could  remember  of  the  gi 
gantic  hairy  mammoth  discovered  frozen  in  a  Siberian 
glacier,  and  so  perfectly  preserved  that  sledge-dogs 
were  fed  for  weeks  on  its  flesh. 

As  they  talked  their  fire  burned  low,  and  the  out 
side  cold  creeping  "stealthily  into  camp  turned  their 
thoughts  to  fur-lined  sleeping-bags.  So  they  slept, 
and  dreamed  of  prehistoric  monsters  ;  while  Musky, 
Luvtuk,  Amook,  and  their  comrades  restlessly  sniffed 
and  gnawed  at  the  ancient  bones  of  this  strange  en- 


CAMPING   'MID   PREHISTORIC    BONES  175 

campment,  and  wondered  at  finding  them  so  void  of 
flavor. 

Glad  as  our  sledge  travellers  would  have  been  to 
linger  for  days  and  fully  explore  the  mysteries  of  that 
great  moss-hidden  cavern,  they  dared  not  take  the  nec 
essary  time.  It  was  already  two  weeks  since  they  had 
left  the  mining  camp,  winter  was  waning,  and  they  must 
leave  the  river  ere  spring  destroyed  its  icy  highway. 
So  they  were  off  again  with  the  first  gray  light  pf 
morning,  and  two  days  later  found  them  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Pelly  River,  the  upper  Yukon's  largest  tribu 
tary,  and  two  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  from  Forty 
Mile. 

The  last  half  of  this  distance  had  been  traversed 
amid  scenes  of  the  same  stupendous  grandeur  that  at 
tracts  thousands  of  tourists  to  the  Yosemite  and  Yel 
lowstone.  But  our  travellers  only  shuddered  at  its 
wind-swept  silence  and  terrible  loneliness.  The  latter 
was  increased  by  the  melancholy  ruins  of  old  Fort 
Selkirk,  whose  three  gaunt  chimneys  still  stand,  about 
one  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Pelly,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Yukon.  That  evening  in  the  snug  quar 
ters  of  Harper,  the  Pelly  River  trader,  who  was  the 
last  white  man  they  could  hope  to  meet  before  reach 
ing  the  coast,  they  listened  to  the  story  of  Fort  Sel 
kirk. 

It  was  established  in  1850  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany,  and  was  their  remotest  post.  So  far  removed 
was  it  from  the  base  of  supplies  that  goods  destined 
for  it  were  two  full  years  in  making  the  journey  from 
London  by  ship  and  across  the  great  northern  wilder 
ness  by  river  and  portage.  Previous  to  that  time  the 
Indian  trade  of  the  Yukon  valley  had  been  monopolized 
by  the  Chilkats,  wealthiest,  most  enterprising,  and  most 
warlike  of  Alaskan  natives.  Securing  goods  from  the 
Russians  at  Sitka,  they  would  carry  them  to  their  dis- 


176  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

tant  villages  in  canoes,  and  transport  them  across  the 
mountains  to  Yukon  head-waters  on  their  backs.  There 
they  would  be  met  by  the  interior  Indians,  whom  they 
never  allowed  to  visit  the  coast. 

The  Chilkats  were  shrewd  enough  to  reap  enormous 
profits  from  this  trade,  and  to  fully  appreciate  its  val 
ue.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  they  learned  of  the  establish 
ment  of  Fort  Selkirk,  and  realized  that  it  meant  the 
overthrow  of  their  lucrative  business,  they  resorted  to 
the  only  method  of  trade  competition  of  which  they 
had  any  knowledge.  They  organized  a  war  party, 
crossed  the  mountains,  descended  the  Yukon  nearly 
five  hundred  miles,  and  wiped  Fort  Selkirk  out  of  ex 
istence,  seizing  its  goods  in  payment  for  their  trouble. 

From  the  Pelly  River  trader  our  travellers  gained 
much  valuable  information  concerning  the  routes  they 
might  pursue  and  the  difficulties  they  had  yet  to  en 
counter.  They  had  indeed  heard  vaguely  of  the  great 
canon  of  the  Yukon,  through  which  the  mad  waters 
are  poured  with  such  fury  that  they  can  never  freeze, 
of  the  rocky  Five  Fingers  that  obstruct  its  channel, 
the  Rink  and  White  Horse  rapids,  and  the  turbulent 
open  streams  connecting  its  upper  chain  of  lakes  ;  but 
until  this  time  they  had  given  these  dangers  little 
thought.  Now  they  became  real,  while  some  of  them, 
according  to  the  trader,  were  impassable  save  by  weary 
detours  through  dense  forests  and  deep  snows  that 
they  feared  would  delay  them  beyond  the  time  of  the 
river's  breaking  up. 

"  What,  then,  can  we  do  ?"  asked  Phil. 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  replied  the  trader.  "  Leave  the  Yukon 
at  this  point,  go  about  fifty  miles  up  the  Pelly,  and  turn 
to  your  right  into  the  Fox.  Ascend  this  to  its  head, 
cross  Fox  Lake,  Indian  Trail  Lake,  Lost  Lake,  and  three 
other  small  lakes.  Then  go  down  a  creek  that  emp 
ties  into  the  Little  Salmon,  and  a  few  miles  down  that 


CAMPING    'MID   PREHISTORIC    BONES  177 

river  to  the  Yukon.  In  this  way  you  will  have  avoided 
the  Five  Fingers  and  the  Rink  Rapids,  and  found  good 
ice  all  the  way.  After  that  keep  on  up  the  main  river 
till  you  pass  Lake  Le  Barge.  There  again  leave  the 
Yukon,  this  time  for  good,  by  the  first  stream  that  flows 
in  on  your  right.  It  is  the  Tahkeena,  and  will  lead 
you  to  the  Chilkat  Pass,  which  is  somewhat  longer, 
but  no  worse  than  the  Chilkoot.  Thus  you  will  avoid 
most  of  the  rough  ice,  the  great  canon,  and  all  the 
rapids." 

"  But  we  shall  surely  get  lost,"  objected  Phil. 

"  Not  if  you  can  hire  Cree  Jim,  who  lives  somewhere 
up  on  the  Fox  River,  to  go  with  you,  for  he  is  the  best 
guide  in  the  country." 

So  the  next  morning  Phil  and  his  companions  again 
set  forth,  this  time  up  the  Pelly  River,  with  all  their 
hopes  for  safety  and  a  successful  termination  to  their 
journey  centred  upon  the  finding  and  hiring  of  Cree 
Jim,  the  guide. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
LOST   IN   THE    FOREST 

IT  was  not  difficult  to  find  the  Fox  River,  for  it  was 
the  first  stream  flowing  into  the  Pelly  on  the  right, 
and  as  the  ice  in  the  latter  river  was  much  smoother 
than  it  had  been  on  the  Yukon,  our  sledge  travellers 
turned  into  it  on  the  second  day  after  leaving  Harper's. 

"Now,"  said  Phil,  "we  must  keep  a  sharp  lookout 
for  Cree  Jim's  cabin;  for  as  no  one  seems  to  know 
exactly  where  it  is  located,  we  may  find  it  anywhere 
between  here  and  the  head  of  the  stream.  At  any  rate, 
we  can't  afford  to  miss  it." 

They  did  miss  it  though,  and,  after  camping  one 
night  on  the  river,  reached  its  head  in  a  lake  that  they 
knew  must  be  the  Fox.  Although  the  day  was  but 
half  spent,  Phil  decided  to  camp  at  that  point. 

"  You  and  I,  Serge,"  he  said,  "  must  go  back  down 
the  river,  one  on  each  side,  making  long  detours  away 
from  it,  in  hopes  of  finding  either  the  cabin  or  some 
trail  leading  to  it.  At  the  same  time  we  must  keep  a 
sharp  lookout  for  game.  Anything  from  a  bear  to  a 
rabbit  would  be  acceptable  now,  for  if  we  don't  re 
plenish  our  stock  of  meat  pretty  soon  we  shall  lose 
our  dogs." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Serge;  "  only,  Phil,  do  be  careful 
and  not  get  lost." 

"  Never  you  fear  on  that  score,"  laughed  the  young 
leader  ;  "  I'll  look  out  for  myself,  but  see  that  you  do 
the  same." 


LOST   IN   THE   FOKEST  179 

So  the  two  lads  set  forth,  leaving  Jalap  Coombs  to 
prepare  camp  and  boil  the  oatmeal  porridge,  which, 
mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  fish,  now  formed  the 
dogs'  daily  meal. 

Phil  plunged  directly  into  the  forest,  deciding  to 
start  out  with  one  of  the  detours  that  he  had  planned. 
Once  within  shelter  of  the  trees,  he  found  the  snow  so 
deep  that  but  for  his  snow-shoes  he  could  have  made 
no  progress.  By  their  aid  he  was  able  to  push  for 
ward  at  a  fair  rate  of  speed,  which  he  determined  to 
maintain  on  as  straight  a  line  as  possible  until  within 
half  an  hour  of  sunset.  Then  he  would  bend  to  the 
left  until  he  reached  the  river,  which  he  was  certain 
could  not  be  very  far  away,  and  which  he  could  follow 
back  to  camp  even  in  the  dark. 

So  for  several  hours  he  plodded  sturdily  forward, 
keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  any  trail  of  man  or  beast, 
and  making  as  little  noise  as  possible,  in  the  hope  of 
surprising  something  worthy  of  a  shot.  All  at  once 
the  surprise  came  from  the  other  side  ;  for,  with  a 
rush  from  behind  a  clump  of  young  hemlocks,  a  huge 
brown  animal,  with  great  palmated  horns,  crossed  his 
path  only  a  few  rods  ahead,  and  dashed  away  at  right 
angles,  flinging  the  snow  to  both  sides  like  a  rotary 
railroad  plough.  Rapid  as  were  his  movements,  Phil 
got  in  one  flying  shot  just  as  he  disappeared. 

"It  was  a  moose  !"  thought  the  excited  lad;  "big 
gest  one  I  ever  saw.  And  I  hit  him  !"  he  cried  aloud, 
a  minute  later,  as  he  examined  the  broad  trail  left  by 
the  flying  beast.  "  Hit  him  hard,  too !"  he  added,  as, 
noting  blood  -  stains  on  the  snow,  and  forgetful  of 
everything  else,  he  set  forth  in  hot  pursuit  of  his 
stricken  game.  "  He  can't  hold  that  pace  long,  wound 
ed,  and  through  snow  as  deep  as  this,"  he  reflected, 
"and  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  I  found  him  at 
bay  inside  of  a  mile.  Oh,  if  I  can  only  get  him, 


180  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

it  will  settle  the  food  question  for  the  rest  of  the 
trip!" 

So,  with  high  hopes,  and  with  all  his  hunting  in 
stincts  fully  aroused,  Phil  followed  that  blood-stained 
trail,  not  only  for  one  mile,  but  for  several  more, 
though  without  catching  another  glimpse  of  the  fly 
ing  moose.  Nor  could  he  discover  any  sign  of  slack 
ened  speed  or  diminished  strength  on  the  part  of  his 
huge  quarry.  The  strides  were  just  as  long  as  at  first, 
and  the  snow  was  flung  just  as  far  on  either  side  of 
the  trail.  But  for  the  crimson  stains  betokening  a 
steady  loss  of  blood,  Phil  would  long  since  have  given 
up  the  chase.  They  encouraged  him  to  keep  on,  "For 
surely,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  no  animal,  not  even  a 
moose,  can  stand  a  drain  like  that  forever." 

All  at  once  he  stopped  short,  and  gazed  about  him 
with  startled  glances.  The  trail  was  growing  dim; 
stealthy  shadows  were  creeping  through  the  forest. 
The  day  was  spent  and  night  was  at  hand.  "  Now  I 
am  in  for  it !"  he  cried,  bitterly.  "  Here  I  am  miles 
from  camp  without  an  idea  of  its  direction  or  that  of 
the  river.  My  only  guide  to  either  is  the  trail  by  which 
I  have  just  come,  and  I  should  lose  that  in  the  dark 
ness  before  I  had  gone  half  a  mile.  The  only  thing 
to  do  is  to  make  a  hungry  camp,  and  make  it  quick, 
too,  before  the  light  is  wholly  gone." 

Thus  deciding,  Phil  left  the  trail  and  hastened  tow 
ards  a  bunch  of  dead  timber  that  stood  a  short  dis 
tance  to  one  side.  He  scraped  the  snow  from  a  pros 
trate  log,  and  then,  using  one  of  his  snow-shoes  as  a 
shovel,  dug  out  a  small  space  down  to  the  ground  be 
side  it.  A  little  pile  of  dry  twigs  and  bark,  and  a  few 
sticks  of  lai-ger  wood,  were  hastily  collected  and  heaped 
against  the  log.  When  he  got  his  fire  well  started  he 
would  gather  more.  Now  to  whittle  a  handful  of 
shavings,  and  then  for  a  blaze.  Oh,  how  good  it 


LOST   IN   THE   FOEEST  181 

would  seem  !  How  it  would  drive  away  the  horrid 
loneliness,  push  back  the  encroaching  shadows,  and 
replace  the  deadly  chill  of  the  on-coming  night  with 
its  own  genial  warmth !  It  could  not  furnish  food,  of 
course,  and  he  must  endure  long  hours  of  hunger,  but 
even  that  could  be  borne  with  its  cheery  aid. 

And  now  to  light  it.  Phil  had  a  match-safe  in  one 
of  his  inner  pockets,  where  he  always  carried  it  for  just 
such  emergencies  as  this,  and  at  length,  after  a  struggle 
with  his  close-fitting  parka,  he  drew  it  forth.  As  he 
opened  it,  and  gazed  into  its  empty  interior,  a  chill 
penetrated  his  very  marrow. 

"  What  a  fool  I  am  !  what  a  miserable,  careless  fool !" 
he  cried,  in  tones  of  despair.  "  I  knew  it  was  empty 
two  days  ago, and  meant  to  refill  it;  but  I  didn't,  and 
now  I  must  suffer  the  consequences.  What  shall  I  do? 
what  shall  I  do  ?  A  night  in  this  place  without  a  fire 
will  drive  me  crazy,  even  if  I  don't  freeze  to  death 
before  morning." 

As  Phil  gazed  about  him  in  a  very  agony  of  appre 
hension,  his  glance  rested  on  his  rifle  leaning  against 
a  tree,  and  a  ray  of  hope  entered  his  heart.  There 
was  fire  if  he  could  only  capture  and  control  it.  How 
was  it  that  wrecked  sailors,  and  lost  hunters,  and  all 
sorts  of  people  always  managed  to  obtain  fire  from  a 
gun,  or  rather  from  a  pistol,  which  was  practically  the 
same  thing  ?  He  tried  to  recall  what  he  had  read  of 
such  experiences.  Oh  yes  !  It  was  by  flashing  powder 
in  the  pan.  But  his  gun  hadn't  any  pan.  He  had 
never  seen  one  that  had,  unless  it  was  Kurilla's  flint 
lock.  Of  course,  now  he  remembered,  it  did  have  a  place 
into  which  the  Indian  used  to  pour  a  little  powder 
every  time  he  wanted  to  fire  his  old  blunderbuss.  How 
Phil  wished  his  Winchester  were  a  flintlock  musket 
just  at  that  moment !  But  it  wasn't,  and  it  didn't  have 
any  pan,  and  loose  powder  was  not  used  in  connection 


182  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

with  it.  But  there  was  plenty  of  powder  incased  in 
its  metallic  cartridges  if  only  he  could  get  at  it,  and 
could  contrive  some  plan  for  adapting  it  to  his  purpose. 

All  these  ideas  passed  like  a  flash,  and  Phil  had 
hardly  thought  of  powder  before  he  was  examining 
one  of  his  cartridges,  and  trying  to  dig  the  bullet  out 
of  its  metal  shell  with  the  point  of  his  knife.  But  it 
was  held  too  tightly,  and  he  only  pricked  his  fingers. 

Then  another  plan  came  into  his  mind.  He  laid 
his  rifle  on  the  ground;  over  its  stock  he  spread  a 
square  of  cotton  cloth  such  as  he  and  Serge  were  accus 
tomed  to  tear  from  the  great  piece  provided  among 
their  stores  whenever  they  needed  clean  handkerchiefs. 
On  the  cloth  Phil  laid  a  cartridge,  that  he  held  in  po 
sition  with  the  sharp  edge  of  his  knife -blade,  placed 
so  that  it  would  cut  just  at  the  base  6f  the  bullet. 
Then  he  struck  the  back  of  the  blade  a  smart  blow 
with  a  billet  of  wood,  and  the  job  was  done.  He  had 
got  at  the  powder. 

He  poured  out  two-thirds  of  the  precious  mixture, 
and  rubbed  it  well  into  one  side  of  the  cloth,  which  he 
doubled  twice  and  fixed  against  the  log.  Then,  after 
stopping  the  open  end  of  the  shell  with  a  tiny  wad  of 
lint  to  keep  the  remainder  of  the  powder  from  running 
out,  he  inserted  it  in  the  chamber  of  his  rifle.  Aiming 
it  at  the  cloth,  with  the  muzzle  about  one  foot  away, 
and  trembling  with  cold,  or  excitement,  or  anxiety,  or 
with  all  three,  he  pulled  the  trigger. 

The  report  that  followed  was  hardly  as  loud  as  that 
of  a  small  fire-cracker,  but  the  success  of  the  scheme 
was  instant.  The  little  flame  poured  from  the  muzzle 
of  the  rifle  into  that  powder-impregnated  square  of 
cotton  cloth  ignited  it  at  once.  A  moment  later  it  was 
nestled  amid  the  bundle  of  twigs  and  shavings,  while 
Phil,  on  hands  and  knees,  was  puffing  at  it  like  a  pair 
of  bellows. 


LOST   IN   THE   FOREST  183 

In  two  minutes  more  his  fire  was  a  certainty,  the 
black  shadows  were  already  beginning  to  retreat  be 
fore  its  cheery  attack,  and  Phil  Ryder's  spirits  had 
jumped  from  zero  almost  to  the  figure  that  represents 
light-heartedness. 

Throwing  off  his  fur  parka,  that  he  might  the  better 
appreciate  its  warmth  later,  and  seizing  a  snow-shoe, 
he  cleared  the  whole  space  between  the  first  log  and 
another  that  lay  a  few  yards  beyond.  Into  this  open 
ing  he  dragged  all  the  logs  and  dead  branches  he  could 
find,  working  with  such  energy  that  at  the  end  of  an 
hour  he  had  a  fine  large  pile,  and  was  in  a  glow  from 
the  exercise.  Now  he  built  another  fire  against  the 
farther  log,  and  piled  his  spare  wood  so  that  it  was 
beyond  reach  of  either  flame. 

He  next  spread  a  few  spruce  and  hemlock  boughs  on 
the  ground  between  the  two  fires,  selected  a  medium- 
sized  chunk  of  wood  for  a  pillow,  donned  his  parka, 
drew  its  great  hood  over  his  head,  and,  with  his  rifle 
by  his  side,  lay  down  on  a  much  warmer  and  more 
comfortable  couch  than  he  had  dared  anticipate  a 
couple  of  hours  before. 

Phil  meant  to  keep  awake  so  as  to  tend  his  fires,  but 
instead  of  so  doing  he  fell  asleep  within  an  hour,  and 
slept  soundly  right  through  the  night.  When  he  at 
length  awoke  and  sat  up,  he  was  chilled  and  stiff  with 
cold,  for  the  fires  were  very  nearly  extinguished  by  a 
fall  of  snow  that  had  sifted  down  through  the  forest 
while  he  slept.  As  the  poor  lad  discovered  this  he  be 
came  filled  with  terror,  for  he  knew  that  the  back  trail 
was  obliterated,  and  that  all  hope  of  regaining  camp  by 
its  means  was  cut  off.  Now  he  was  indeed  lost.  As  he 
gazed  hopeless  and  bewildered  about  him  he  caught  sight 
of  something  that  he  at  first  took  to  be  a  dog  sitting 
only  a  few  yards  away,  and  regarding  him  hungrily. 
He  spoke  to  it,  and  the  animal  started  to  sneak  away. 


184  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

Then  he  saw  that  it  was  a  wolf,  and  he  hastened  its 
movements  with  a  rifle-shot. 

As  it  was  not  yet  light  enough  to  commence  his 
search  for  the  river,  or  for  some  stream  that  would 
lead  him  to  it,  he  began  to  throw  wood  on  the  fires,  that 
he  might  at  least  get  warm  before  starting.  While 
thus  engaged  he  was  startled  by  a  cry  apparently  in 
the  voice  of  a  child  that  rang  dolefully  through  the 
silent  forest.  Again  he  heard  it,  plaintive  and  long- 
drawn,  and  this  time  nearer  than  before.  It  was  so 
weird  a  cry  to  be  heard  in  that  place  and  at  that  time 
that  he  shuddered  as  he  listened  for  its  repetition.  Its 
very  humanness  added  to  its  terror.  At  its  third  utter 
ance  Phil  seized  his  rifle,  cocked  it,  and  faced  the  di 
rection  of  the  sound,  expecting  in  another  moment  to 
be  confronted  by  the  tawny  form  of  a  mountain-lion. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
PHIL   ASSUMES   A  RESPONSIBILITY 

PHIL  had  never  met  nor  even  seen  a  mountain-lion, 
but  he  had  often  heard  that  its  cry  sometimes  imitates 
that  of  a  child  so  closely  as  to  deceive  the  most  expert 
of  hunters.  He  had  heard,  too,  of  its  ferocity,  its  bold 
ness  in  attacking  human  beings,  and  its  terrible  strength. 
In  some  respects  it  is  even  more  to  be  feared  than  that 
monarch  of  the  North  American  wilderness  the  grizzly 
bear,  for  the  former,  belonging  to  the  cat  family,  is  a 
famous  tree-climber,  which  the  latter  is  not. 

These  thoughts,  together  with  all  the  stories  he  had 
ever  read  of  mountain-lions,  flashed  through  the  lad's 
mind  in  the  few  minutes  that  elapsed  between  the  first 
and  third  of  those  terrible  cries.  Before  it  could  utter 
another  the  fearful  beast  would  be  upon  him,  and  with 
tense  muscles  he  braced  himself  for  the  coming  con 
flict.  He  would  not  have  a  chance  for  more  than  one 
shot.  If  it  failed  him,  all  would  be  lost. 

The  sound  of  the  third  wailing  cry  had  hardly  died 
away  when,  with  a  gasp  half  of  relief  that  the  sus 
pense  was  ended,  half  of  dread,  Phil  caught  a  momen 
tary  glimpse  of  a  brown  furry  object  moving  through 
the  trees.  It  would  next  appear  from  behind  yonder 
clump  of  bushes.  The  rifle  was  slowly  lifted,  a  delib 
erate  sight  was  taken  along  its  shining  barrel,  and  then, 
as  the  furry  object  appeared  at  the  precise  point  where 
it  was  expected,  the  forest  echoed  with  its  ringing  shot. 
But  the  bullet  had  not  been  allowed  to  fulfil  its  fatal 


186  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

mission.  One  blessed  instant  had  been  granted,  even 
as  the  trigger  was  pressed,  in  which  to  give  the  barrel 
a  slight  upward  jerk,  and  deflect  the  leaden  messenger 
from  its  deadly  course. 

The  rifle  fell  from  Phil's  nerveless  hand,  as  weak 
and  faint  he  leaned  against  a  friendly  tree  trunk.  As 
he  stood  there,  staring  with  still  unbelieving  eyes,  a 
little  fur -clad  child,  not  more  than  four  years  old, 
walking  on  the  tiniest  of  snow-shoes,  came  close  to 
him,  smiled  trustfully  up  in  his  face,  and,  holding  out 
a  small  mittened  hand,  said : 

"  Come,  man.    Come  wif  Nel-te.    Mamma  say  come." 

If  Phil  had  been  nearly  paralyzed  with  horror  to  dis 
cover,  as  his  eye  glanced  along  the  levelled  rifle-barrel, 
that  he  was  aiming  at  a  human  being,  he  was  almost 
equally  staggered  at  hearing  the  fur-clad  atom  who 
called  himself  Nel-te  address  him  in  English.  How 
could  it  be  ?  Who  was  he  ?  How  came  he  there, 
alone  in  that  vast  wilderness  of  trackless  forest,  ice, 
and  snow?  Where  had  the  child  spent  the  night  just 
passed,  that  had  been  so  filled  with  terrors  to  him  ? 
How  had  he  lived  through  it?  Where  was  his 
mother  ? 

All  these  questions  and  more  he  asked  the  child  as 
he  sat  on  a  log,  and,  drawing  the  little  one  to  him, 
gazed  at  him  as  though  he  were  unreal,  and  might  at 
any  moment  vanish  as  mysteriously  as  he  had  come. 

But  the  child  evidently  had  neither  the  time  nor  the 
inclination  for  explanations.  He  gravely  repelled  all 
the  lad's  friendly  advances,  and  turned  to  go  away,  as 
though  confidently  expecting  him  to  follow.  As  Phil 
hesitated  for  a  moment  he  looked  back,  and  in  a  voice 
that  had  a  slight  tremble,  together  with  a  lower  lip 
that  quivered  just  a  little,  he  repeated  : 

"  Come.     Mamma  say  come." 

And  Phil,  picking  up  his  rifle,  followed  after  the 


"COME,  MAN.       COME    WIF    NEL  TE.       MAMMA    SAY    COME" 


PHIL   ASSUMES   A   RESPONSIBILITY  187 

unique  little  figure  like  one  who  is  dazed.  A  happy  smile 
lighted  the  child's  face  at  this  compliance  with  his 
wish,  and  after  that  he  plodded  sturdily  onward  with 
out  turning  his  head,  as  though  satisfied  that  his  mis 
sion  was  accomplished.  After  thus  going  something 
less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  they  emerged  from  the 
forest,  and  came  to  a  log-cabin  standing  on  the  bank 
of  a  small  stream. 

Though  fairly  well  built,  this  cabin  did  not  differ  in 
outward  appearance  from  ordinary  structures  of  its 
kind  in  that  country,  save  that  its  single  glass  window 
was  hung  with  white  curtains.  These  caught  Phil's 
eye  at  once,  but  ere  he  had  time  to  speculate  concern 
ing  them  his  little  guide  had  reached  the  door.  Slip 
ping  off  the  small  snow-shoes,  he  pushed  it  open  and 
entered.  Phil  followed,  but  had  not  taken  a  single 
step  into  the  interior  ere  he  started  back  in  dismay. 

On  the  floor  close  beside  the  threshold  lay  an  Indian 
— a  tall,  handsome  fellow,  but  with  a  terrible  gash  in 
his  side.  From  it  his  life's  blood  had  evidently  drained 
some  time  before,  for  it  needed  but  a  glance  to  show 
that  he  was  dead. 

From  this  startling  sight  the  lad's  gaze  wandered 
across  the  room.  It  caught  the  white  curtains,  a  few 
poor  attempts  at  ornamentation  of  the  walls,  an  empty 
hearth,  on  which  was  no  spark  of  fire,  and  then  rested 
on  a  rude  bed  in  one  corner,  to  which  the  child  had  just 
run  with  a  joyful  cry. 

On  the  bed  lay  a  woman,  and,  to  Phil's  utter  amaze 
ment,  she  was  a  white  woman,  who  was  feebly  speak 
ing  to  him  in  English.  Her  bloodless  face,  terribly 
emaciated,  was  surrounded  by  a  wealth  of  dark-brown 
hair,  and  her  great  eyes  were  fixed  on  him  with  a  piti 
ful  eagerness. 

"  Thank  God  !  thank  God,  sir !"  she  said,  in  a  voice 
so  near  a  whisper  that  Phil  was  obliged  to  bend  his 


188  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

head  to  catch  the  words.  "  Now  that  you've  come,  I 
can  die  in  peace,  for  my  Nel-te  will  be  cared  for.  1 
prayed,  oh,  how  I  prayed !  But  it  seemed  as  if  my 
prayers  were  to  be  of  no  avail,  until  at  length  the  an 
swer  came  in  the  report  of  your  gun.  Then  I  sent  the 
child  to  find  you.  And  oh,  sir,  I  do  thank  you  for 
coming !  I  do  thank  my  Heavenly  Father  for  sending 
you.  And  you  will  care  for  my  baby  ?  You  will  take 
him  far  from  here,  where  he  may  grow  to  be  a  good 
and  useful  man  ?  You  will,  won't  you,  sir  ?  Promise 
me  !  Promise  me  you  will." 

"  But  you  mustn't  die,"  answered  poor  Phil,  who 
was  so  bewildered  by  the  perplexities  of  the  situation 
that  he  knew  not  what  to  say.  "  I  have  two  compan 
ions  who  will  know  what  to  do  for  you,  and  we  will 
stay  until  you  get  stronger.  What  does  it  all  mean, 
anyway  ?  Are  you  wounded  ?  Did  that  Indian  attack 
you?" 

"  He  was  my  husband,  my  Jim,"  answered  the  wom 
an,  again  opening  her  eyes,  which  had  closed  wearily 
after  her  recent  effort  at  talking.  "  He  died  for  me, 
and  I  am  dying  for  him." 

Here  she  was  interrupted  by  a  terrible  fit  of  cough 
ing  and  a  gush  of  blood  from  some  internal  hemor 
rhage. 

After  a  few  minutes  she  continued:  "He  shot  a 
moose,  and  with  its  last  strength  it  charged  on  him. 
When  he  did  not  come  home  I  went  in  search  of 
him.  I  folmd  them  lying  together.  Jim  still  breathed. 
Somehow  I  managed  to  bring  him  home  on  my  back. 
But  he  was  dead  when  I  got  him  here,  and  the  strain 
had  been  too  great  for  me.  I  had  burst  a  blood-vessel, 
and  had  barely  strength  to  crawl  to  the  bed.  That 
was  two  days  ago.  I  should  have  died  that  first  night, 
but  fought  with  death  for  Nel-te's  sake.  Now  I  can 
go,  and  I  am  glad,  for  I  am  so  weary — so  weary." 


PHIL   ASSUMES    A    RESPONSIBILITY  189 

This  pitiful  story  was  told  in  whispers,  with  many 
pauses  and  many  struggles  for  breath.  When  it  was 
finished  the  great  pleading  eyes  again  closed,  and  the 
woman  lay  so  still  that  Phil  thought  she  must  be  dead. 
He  tried  to  feel  of  her  pulse,  but  started  at  the  touch 
of  her  hand,  for  it  was  like  ice.  The  chill  of  it  seemed 
to  reach  his  very  heart,  and  he  shivered  in  the  deadly 
cold  of  the  room. 

"I  can  at  least  make  a  fire,"  he  thought,  and  he  began 
to  search  for  matches.  There  were  none,  and  finally 
bethinking  himself  of  the  blaze  he  had  left  in  the 
woods,  he  set  forth  to  fetch  fire  from  it.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  returned  with  a  couple  of  burning  brands. 
Then  he  brought  in  wood,  and  after  a  little  the  great 
fireplace  was  filled  with  leaping  flames. 

Nel-te  came  to  him  and  begged  for  water.  Phil  had 
noticed  several  times  that  the  child  was  eating  snow, 
and  now  berated  himself  for  not  realizing  that  the  lit 
tle  fellow  was  thirsty.  He  melted  snow  in  a  kettle, 
and  the  boy  drank  eagerly.  Then  from  some  hiding- 
place  he  produced  a  smoked  salmon,  that  he  began  to  eat 
ravenously.  After  a  little  he  paused,  looked  hesitating 
ly  at  Phil,  and  then  shyly,  but  with  inborn  hospitality, 
held  out  the  fish  to  his  guest,  saying, "  You  hungry  ?" 

"Indeed  I  am,  little  chap,"  answered  Phil,  who  was 
just  remembering  how  very  hungry  he  was,  "and  I 
shall  be  only  too  glad  to  take  a  bite  with  you."  So 
he  cut  off  a  piece  of  the  fish,  and  as  the  two  ate  their 
strange  meal  in  company  Phil  knew  that  -the  little 
stranger  had  won  his  heart ;  for  never  had  he  felt  so 
drawn  to  any  child  as  to  this  one. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged  the  woman  again 
unclosed  her  eyes,  and  made  a  slight  movement.  Phil 
held  a  cup  of  water  to  her  lips,  and  she  drank  thirst 
ily.  It  seemed  to  give  her  strength,  for  she  said,  and 
this  time  in  clearer  tones  than  before : 


190  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"  You  have  not  promised  me,  lad.  But  you  will — I 
know  you  will ;  for  God  has  sent  you  in  answer  to  my 
prayers.  You  will  care  for  my  baby,  and  try  to  love 
him,  and  never  let  him  forget  his  mother.  You  will 
promise,  and  I  know  I  can  trust  you,  for  you  have  a 
brave  face  and  honest.  You  will  promise  me  ?" 

"  I  do  promise,"  said  Phil,  solemnly,  "  that  if  you 
are  taken  from  your  boy  I  will  care  for  him  to  the  best 
of  my  ability,  and  be  to  him  a  brother  and — " 

"That's  enough,  lad.  Now  hand  him  to  me,  for  I 
canna  see  him.  His  name  is  Nelson  McLeod." 

This  last  came  in  so  faint  a  whisper  that  Phil  barely 
caught  the  words ;  but  as  he  lifted  the  little  one  to 
the  bed  the  woman  seemed  to  gain  a  new  strength, 
for  she  flung  her  arms  about  the  child,  strained  him 
to  her  breast,  and  kissed  him. 

Then  the  wasted  arms  unclosed.  She  fell  back,  a 
smile  glorified  her  face,  and  the  great  brown  eyes 
opened  for  one  parting  look  at  her  boy.  In  another 
moment,  with  a  sigh  of  content,  she  fell  into  the  sleep 
that  knows  no  waking ;  and  Phil,  recalling  the  long- 
ago  story  of  the  missionary,  knew  that  the  sorrows  of 
Ellen  McLeod  were  ended. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 
A    WILDERNESS    ORPHAN 

THE  position  in  which  Phil  now  found  himself  was 
certainly  a  perplexing  one.  By  the  very  simple  process 
of  getting  lost  he  had  discovered  Cree  Jim's  cabin,  but 
was  appalled  to  consider  what  else  he  had  found  at  the 
same  time.  He  now  knew  that  the  remainder  of  their 
journey,  its  most  difficult  and  dangerous  portion,  must 
be  undertaken  without  a  guide.  Not  only  this,  but 
they  must  be  burdened  with  a  child  so  young  aa  to  be 
practically  helpless.  In  the  meantime,  what  was  to  be 
done  with  those  silent  and  motionless  forms  whose 
dread  presence  so  pervaded  that  lonely  cabin  ?  And 
how  was  he  to  communicate  with  his  friends  ?  There 
was  no  back  trail  to  follow,  for  the  snow  had  wiped  it 
out.  He  did  not  even  know  in  which  direction  camp 
lay,  for,  in  the  ardor  of  his  chase  the  evening  before, 
he  had  taken  no  note  of  course  nor  distance. 

There  was  the  stream,  though,  on  whose  bank  the 
cabin  was  perched.  It  must  flow  into  the  river.  Yes, 
that  was  his  only  hope.  But  the  river  might  be  miles 
away,  and  the  camp  as  much  farther  off;  if,  indeed, 
it  could  still  be  found  where  he  had  left  it.  But  of 
course  it  would  be  !  So  long  as  Serge  Belcofsky  and 
Jalap  Coombs  had  life  and  strength  to  search  for  him 
that  camp  would  remain  a  permanent  fixture  until  he 
returned  to  it.  Phil  was  absolutely  sure  of  that,  and 
he  now  realized,  as  never  before,  the  priceless  value 
of  a  friendship  whose  loyalty  is  beyond  doubt. 


192  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

So  the  plan  was  formed.  He  would  go  down  the 
stream  and  up  the  river  until  he  found  camp.  Then 
he  would  bring  Serge  and  a  sledge  back  with  him.  In 
the  meantime  the  child  must  be  left  where  he  was, 
for  Phil  doubted  if  he  could  carry  him  over  the  weary 
miles  that  he  knew  must  lie  between  the  cabin  and 
camp,  while  for  the  little  fellow  to  walk  that  distance 
was  out  of  the  question. 

Phil  sat  on  a  stool  before  the  fire  while  doing  all 
this  thinking.  As  he  rose  to  carry  out  his  plan,  Nel-te, 
who  was  becoming  terrified  at  his  mother's  silence  in 
spite  of  his  efforts  to  attract  her  attention,  slipped  from 
the  bed,  ran  to  his  new  friend,  and  thrusting  a  cold 
little  hand  into  one  of  his,  looked  up  with  a  smile  of 
such  perfect  trust  that  Phil  snatched  him  in  his  arms 
and  kissed  him,  at  the  same  time  giving  him  a  great 
hug. 

Then  he  said  :  "  Now,  Nel-te,  Brother  Phil  is  going 
away  for  a  little  while  to  get  some  doggies  for  you  to 
play  with,  and  you  must  stay  here  like  a  good  boy, 
and  not  open  the  door  until  he  comes  back.  Do  you 
understand  ?" 

"Yes;  me  go  get  doggies.  Nel-te  like  doggies. 
Good  doggies  !"  And  almost  before  Phil  knew  what 
the  child  was  about,  he  had  slipped  from  his  arms,  run 
to  the  door,  and  was  putting  on  the  tiny  snow-shoes 
that  had  been  left  outside.  Then,  with  an  engaging 
smile,  he  called,  cheerily,  "Come.  Nel-te  say  come. 
Get  doggies." 

"All  right,  little  chap.  I  expect  your  plan  is  as 
good  as  mine,  after  all,"  replied  Phil,  into  whose  mind 
had  just  flashed  the  promise  made  to  that  dead  moth 
er — never  to  desert  her  baby.  "  And  here  I  was  about 
to  begin  by  doing  that  very  thing,"  he  reflected  as  he 
glanced  at  the  marble  face  overspread  by  the  expres 
sion  of  perfect  content  that  his  promise  had  brought. 


A    WILDERNESS    ORPHAN  193 

Moved  by  a  sudden  impulse  he  picked  up  the  boy, 
and,  bringing  him  back,  held  him  so  that  he  might 
kiss  the  peaceful  face.  This  the  child  did  with  a  soft 
cooing  that  served  to  convey  both  love  and  pity.  Then 
he  ran  to  the  stalwart  figure  that  still  lay  on  the  floor, 
and,  patting  its  swarthy  cheek,  said  something  in  the 
Cree  tongue  that  Phil  did  not  understand. 

After  that  Phil  carefully  closed  the  door  to  prevent 
the  intrusion  of  wild  beasts,  and  the  two,  whose  fort 
unes  had  become  so  strangely  interwoven,  set  forth  to 
gether  down  the  white  surface  of  the  forest-bordered 
stream,  on  whose  bank  Nel-te  had  been  born  and  passed 
his  few  years  of  life.  He  was  happily  but  uncon 
sciously  venturing  on  his  first  "  little  journey  into  the 
world,"  while  his  companion  was  filled  with  a  sense 
of  manliness  and  responsibility  from  the  experiences 
through  which  he  had  just  passed  that  the  mere  add 
ing  of  years  could  never  have  brought. 

Phil  wondered  at  the  ease  with  which  the  little  fel 
low  managed  his  snow-shoes,  until  he  reflected  that 
the  child  had  probably  been  taught  to  use  them  from 
the  day  of  taking  his  first  step.  So  the  two  fur-clad 
figures,  ridiculously  contrasted  in  size,  trudged  along 
side  by  side  down  the  winding  stream,  the  one  thought 
fully  silent  and  the  other  chattering  of  "  doggies  "  un 
til  he  began  to  lag  behind  and  give  signs  that  the  pace 
was  telling  on  his  slender  strength. 

"  Poor  little  chap !"  said  Phil.  "  But  I  have  been 
expecting  it,  and  now  we  will  try  another  scheme." 
So,  slinging  the  tiny  snow-shoes  across  the  child's  back, 
he  picked  him  up  and  set  him  astride  his  own  broad 
shoulders,  where  Nel-te  clutched  his  head,  and  shouted 
with  glee  at  this  delightful  mode  of  travel. 

After  they  had  gone  a  mile  or  so  in  this  fashion 
they  rounded  a  sharp  bend,  and  came  so  suddenly 
upon  poor  Serge,  who  was  making  his  way  up  the 


194  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

stream  in  search  of  some  trace  of  his  friend,  that  for  a 
moment  he  stood  motionless  and  speechless  with  amaze 
ment.  He  could  make  nothing  of  the  approaching  ap 
parition  until  Phil  shouted,  cheerily  : 

"  Hurrah,  old  man  !  Here  we  are,  safe  and  sound, 
and  awfully  glad  to  see  you." 

"  Oh,  Phil !"  cried  Serge,  while  tears  actually  stood 
in  his  honest  blue  eyes,  "I  can  hardly  believe  it  !  It 
seems  almost  too  good  to  be  true.  Are  you  sure  you 
are  not  wounded  nor  frozen  nor  hurt  in  any  way  ? 
Haven't  you  suffered  terribly?  If  you  haven't,  we 
have.  I  don't  believe  Mr.  Coombs  slept  a  wink  last 
night,  and  I  know  I  didn't.  But  I  am  happy  enough 
at  this  minute  to  make  up  for  it  all,  a  hundred  times 
over.  Oh,  Phil !" 

"I  have  suffered  a  little  from  anxiety,  and  been  a 
trifle  hungry,  and  had  some  sad  experiences,  but  I 
haven't  suffered  half  so  much  as  I  deserved  for  my 
carelessness  in  getting  lost.  I  found  Cree  Jim,  though ; 
but—" 

"  And  brought  him  with  you  ?"  interrupted  Serge, 
smiling  for  the  first  time  in  many  hours,  as  he  glanced 
at  the  quaint  little  figure  perched  on  Phil's  shoulders. 

"  Not  exactly,"  replied  the  other,  soberly.  "  You 
see  this  little  chap  is  his  son,  and  I've  adopted  him  for 
a  sort  of  a  brother,  and  he  is  going  with  us." 

"  You've  done  what  ?"  cried  Serge. 

"Adopted  him.  That  is,  you  see  I  promised  my 
aunt  Ruth  to  bring  her  something  from  Alaska  that 
was  unique  in  the  way  of  a  curio,  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  Nel-te  here  will  please  her  about  as  well  as  any 
thing.  Don't  you  think  so  ?" 

"  Perhaps  so,"  assented  Serge,  doubtfully.  "  But 
was  his  father  willing  that  you  should  have  him  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  perfectly.  That  is,  you  know,  he  is  dead, 
and  so  is  the  mother;  but  I  promised  her  to  take  care 


A   WILDERNESS    ORPHAN  195 

of  the  little  chap,  and  as  there  wasn't  anything  else  to 
be  done,  why,  here  we  are." 

"  Of  course  it's  all  right  if  you  say  so,"  agreed 
Serge,  "  and  I  don't  care,  so  long  as  you  are  safe,  if 
you  carry  a  whole  tribe  back  to  your  aunt  Ruth;  but 
now  don't  you  think  we'd  better  be  getting  along  to 
camp  ?  It  was  all  I  could  do  to  persuade  Mr.  Coombs 
to  stay  behind  and  look  out  for  things;  he  is  so  anxious. 
The  only  way  I  could  induce  him  to  stay  was  by  sug 
gesting  that  you  might  come  in  tired  and  hungry, 
and  would  feel  awfully  if  no  one  was  there  to  welcome 
you.  But  he  is  liable  to  set  out  on  a  hunt  for  you  at 
any  moment." 

"Certainly,  we  must  get  there  as  quickly  as  possi 
ble,"  replied  Phil.  "  How  far  is  it  ?" 

"Not  more  than  one  mile  up  the  river  from  the 
mouth  of  this  creek,  which  is  only  a  few  rods  below 
here.  But  oh,  Phil,  to  think  that  I  have  found  you  ! 
When  I  had  almost  given  up  all  hope  of  ever  again 
seeing  you  alive,  too.  I  have  been  down  as  far  as  our 
first  camp  on  the  river  this  morning,  and  this  creek 
was  my  last  hope.  I  wouldn't  have  left  the  country 
without  you,  though,  or  at  any  rate  without  knowing 
what  had  become  of  you.  Neither  would  Mr.  Coombs. 
We  settled  that  last  night  while  we  talked  over  what 
had  best  be  done." 

"  I  was  sure  you  wouldn't,  old  fellow,"  replied  Phil, 
with  something  like  a  choke  in  his  voice.  "I  knew 
that  as  well  before  you  said  it  as  I  do  now,  and  it  was 
the  thing  that  kept  me  up  most  of  all." 

The  two  boys  had  so  much  to  tell,  and  so  many 
proofs  of  loving  confidence  to  exchange,  that,  before 
they  realized  they  were  anywhere  near  camp  they  came 
upon  it,  and  were  hailed  by  Jalap  Coombs,  who  almost 
hugged  Phil  in  his  revulsion  of  feeling  and  unaffected 
joy  at  the  lad's  return. 


196  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"  But  you  don't  do  it  again,  Philip,  my  son  !"  he 
cried.  "That  is,  the  next  time  you  feel  inclined  to 
wander  from  home  and  stay  out  nights,  you  may  go,  of 
course,  but  you'll  have  to  take  me  along.  So  ef  you 
gits  lost,  I  gits  lost  likewise  ;  for,  as  my  old  friend 
Kite  Roberson  useter  say  consarning  prodegal  sons, 
'  It's  allus  toughest  on  them  as  is  left  behind.'  But, 
Phil,  what  be  ye  doing  with  that  furry  little  beggar  ? 
Is  he  the  pilot  ye  went  sarching  for  ?" 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Phil,  lifting  Nel-te  down  from  his 
shoulders.  "He  is  the  pilot  who  is  to  lead  us  from 
this  wilderness,  and  if  you  have  got  anything  to  eat, 
you'd  better  give  it  to  him  before  he  devours  one  of 
the  dogs,  which  he  seems  inclined  to  do.  I  can  answer 
for  it  that  he  has  been  on  short  rations  for  several 
days  and  is  properly  hungry." 

"Have  I  got  anything  to  eat?"  cried  the  other. 
"  Waal,  rather  !  How  does  fresh  steaks,  and  roasts, 
and  chops,  and  stews  strike  your  fancy  ?"  With  this 
he  pointed  to  one  side  of  the  camp,  where,  to  their  as 
tonishment,  the  boys  saw  a  quantity  of  fresh  meat, 
much  of  which  was  already  cut  into  thin  strips  for 
freezing  and  packing. 

"  Where  did  it  come  from  ?"  queried  Phil,  looking 
at  Serge;  but  the  latter  only  shook  his  head,  evidently 
equally  puzzled. 

"  It's  jest  a  bit  of  salvage  that  I  raked  in  as  it  went 
drifting  by,"  explained  Jalap  Coombs,  his  face  beam 
ing  with  gratified  pride.  "  It's  some  kind  of  deer  meat, 
and  for  a  deer  he  were  pretty  nigh  as  big  as  one  of 
them  elephants  back  yonder  in  the  moss  cave.  You 
see,  he  came  cruising  along  this  way  shortly  after  Serge 
left,  and  the  dogs  give  chase  and  made  him  heave  to. 
When  I  j'ined  'em  he  surrendered.  Then  I  had  my 
hands  full  in  a  hurry,  driving  off  the  dogs  and  lashing 
'em  fast  so  as  they  couldn't  eat  him,  horns  and  all,  and 


A   WILDERNESS   ORPHAN  197 

cutting  of  him  up.  I  hain't  more  'n  made  a  beginning 
with  him  either,  for  there's  pretty  nigh  a  full  cargo 
left." 

"  But  how  did  you  kill  him  ?  There  wasn't  any  gun 
in  camp  ?"  asked  Phil,  utterly  bewildered. 

"  Of  course  there  warn't  no  gun,"  answered  Jalap 
Coombs,  "  and  likewise  I  didn't  need  one.  Sich  things 
I  leave  for  boys.  How  did  I  kill  him,  say  you  ? 
Why,  I  jest  naterally  harpooned  him  like  I  would  any 
other  whale." 


CHAPTER  XXX 
JALAP    AND   THE   DOGS    SING    A  LULLABY 

"  HARPOONED  a  moose !"  cried  Phil  and  Serge  to 
gether  ;  for  they  had  by  this  time  discovered  the  nat 
ure  of  the  sailor's  "  big  deer."  And  "  Where  did  you 
get  the  harpoon  ?"  asked  the  former. 

"  Found  it  leaning  agin  a  tree  while  I  were  out  after 
firewood,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  at  the  same  time  pro 
ducing  and  proudly  exhibiting  a  heavy  A-yan  spear, 
such  as  were  formerly  used  by  the  natives  of  the  Pelly 
river  valley.  "  It  were  a  trifle  rusty,  and  a  trifle  light  in 
the  butt,"  he  added,  "but  it  come  in  mighty  handy  when 
it  were  most  needed,  and  for  an  old  whaler  it  aren't 
a  bad  sort  of  a  weepon.  I'm  free  to  say,  though,  that 
I  might  have  had  hard  luck  in  tackling  the  beast  with 
it  ef  he  hadn't  been  already  wounded.  I  didn't  know  it 
till  after  he  were  dead ;  but  when  I  come  to  cut  him  up, 
I  saw  where  he'd  been  bleeding  pretty  free,  and  then 
I  found  this  bullet  in  his  innards.  Still,  I  don't  reckin 
you'd  have  called  him  a  mouse,  nor  yet  a  rat,  if  ye'd 
seed  him  like  I  did  under  full  sail,  with  his  horns  set 
wing  and  wing,  showing  the  spread  of  a  fifty -ton 
schooner.  Ef  I  hadn't  had  the  harpoon  I'd  left  him 
severely  alone ;  but  I  allowed  that  a  weepon  as  were 
good  enough  for  a  whale  would  do  for  a  deer,  even  ef 
he  were  bigger  than  the  run." 

"  It's  a  rifle-bullet,  calibre  forty-four,"  said  Phil,  who 
was  examining  the  bit  of  lead  that  Jalap  Coombs  had 
taken  from  his  "big  deer."  "I  wonder  if  it  can  be 


JALAP  AND  THE  DOGS  SING  A  LULLABY    199 

possible  that  he  is  the  same  moose  I  wounded,  and 
without  whose  lead  I  should  never  have  found  Cree 
Jim's  cabin.  It  seems  incredible  that  he  should  have 
come  right  back  to  camp  to  be  killed,  though  I  sup 
pose  it  is  possible.  Certainly  good  fortune,  or  good 
luck,  or  whatever  else  you  choose  to  call  it,  does  seem 
to  be  pretty  steadily  on  our  side,  and  without  the  aid 
of  the  fur-seal's  tooth  either,"  he  added,  with  a  sly 
glance  at  Serge. 

The  latter  was  already  hard  at  work  cooking  a  boun 
tiful  supply  of  the  meat  so  wonderfully  provided  for 
them,  while  Nel-te,  who  had  been  left  to  his  own  de 
vices  for  several  minutes,  had  made  his  way  to  the 
"doggies,"  and  was  rolling  over  and  over  in  the  snow 
with  Musky  and  Luvtuk  and  big  Amook.  They  were 
treating  him  exactly  as  they  would  a  frolicsome  pup 
py,  and  their  joyous  barkings  were  mingled  with  his 
shrill  screams  of  delight  in  a  happy  chorus.  The  little 
chap  could  hardly  be  persuaded  to  leave  his  new  play 
mates  long  enough  to  eat  dinner,  and  returned  to  them 
the  moment  his  appetite  was  satisfied. 

As  soon  as  the  meal  was  finished  Phil  and  Serge 
slipped  away,  taking  a  sledge,  to  which  was  lashed  a 
couple  of  axes,  with  them.  They  were  going  back  to 
bury  the  parents  of  the  child,  who  was  so  happily  ob 
livious  of  the  sad  nature  of  their  errand  that  he  did 
not  even  take  note  of  their  departure. 

The  lads  had  no  idea  of  how  they  should  accomplish 
their  sorrowful  task.  Even  with  proper  tools  they 
knew  it  would  be  impossible  to  dig  a  grave  in  the 
frozen  ground,  and,  as  they  had  only  axes  with  which 
to  work,  this  plan  was  dismissed  without  discussion. 
They  talked  of  building  a  tomb  of  logs,  but  decided 
that  to  make  it  proof  against  wild  beasts  would  take 
more  time  than  they  could  afford.  Serge  suggested  a 
scaffold,  on  which  the  bodies  might  be  placed,  in  Ind- 


200  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

ian  fashion,  while  Phil  thought  that,  by  taking  up  the 
floor  of  the  cabin,  they  might  find  earth  in  which  they 
could  dig.  He  could  not  bear  the  thought  that  one 
who  had  been  brought  up  in  the  ways  of  civilization, 
and  who  had  moreover  suffered  as  had  poor  Ellen 
McLeod,  should  have  aught  save  a  Christian  burial ; 
and  when  he  told  Serge  the  sad  story  of  her  life  as  he 
had  learned  it  from  the  missionary  at  Anvik,  the  latter 
agreed  with  him. 

So  they  had  not  settled  on  any  plan  when  they  round 
ed  the  last  bend  of  the  little  stream  and  gained  a  point 
from  which  the  cabin  should  have  been  visible.  Then 
they  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  task  they  had  been  dread 
ing  had  been  accomplished  without  their  aid.  There 
was  no  cabin  ;  but  a  cloud  of  smoke  rising  from  its  site, 
as  from  an  altar,  gave  ample  evidence  of  its  fate.  A 
blazing  log  from  the  fire  Phil  left  on  its  hearth  must 
have  rolled  out  on  the  floor  directly  after  his  depart 
ure.  Now  only  a  heap  of  ashes  and  glowing  embers 
remained  to  mark  the  site  of  Nel-te's  home. 

"  It  is  best  so,"  said  Phil,  as  the  two  lads  stood  be 
side  the  smouldering  ruins  of  what  had  been  a  home 
and  was  now  become  a  sepulchre.  "  And  oh,  Serge ! 
think  of  what  might  have  been  the  child's  fate  if  I 
had  left  him  behind,  as  I  at  first  intended.  Poor  little 
chap  !  I  realize  now,  as  never  before,  how  completely 
his  past  is  wiped  out,  and  how  entirely  his  future  lies 
in  our  hands.  It  is  a  trust  that  came  without  our  seek 
ing,  but  I  accepted  it ;  and  now,  beside  his  mother's 
ashes,  I  swear  to  be  true  to  the  promise  I  gave  her." 

"  Amen !"  said  Serge,  softly,  as  though  at  the  con 
clusion  of  a  prayer,  and  Phil  knew  that  the  little  wil 
derness  orphan  had  found  another  friend  who  would 
be  as  loyal  as  himself. 

They  planted  a  rude  wooden  cross,  the  face  of  which 
was  chipped  to  a  gleaming  whiteness,  close  in  front  of 


JALAP   AND   THE   DOGS   SING   A    LULLABY          201 

the  smouldering  heap,  and  near  it  Serge  fastened  a 
streamer  of  white  cloth  to  the  tip  of  a  tall  young 
spruce.  Cutting  off  the  limbs  as  he  descended,  he  left 
it  a  slender  pole,  and  thus  provided  the  native  symbol 
of  a  place  of  burial. 

Having  thus  done  all  that  was  left  them  to  do,  the 
boys  retraced  their  way  down  the  little  stream  and  up 
the  river,  through  the  gathering  dusk,  to  the  camp 
that  to  them  was  home. 

As  they  approached  it  they  were  astonished  to  hear 
Jalap  Coombs  singing  in  bellowing  tones  the  rollick 
ing  old  sea  chanty  of  "  Roll  a  Man  Down  !" 

"A  flying-fish-catcher  from  old  Hong-Kong — 

Yo  ho!  roll  a  man  down — 
A  flying-fish-catcher  comes  bowling  along; 
Give  us  some  time  to  roll  a  man  down, 
Koll  a  man  up  and  roll  a  man  down, 
Give  us  some  time  to  roll  a  man  down. 
From  labbord  to  stabbord  away  we  go — 
Yo  ho!  roll  a  man  down." 

Jalap's  voice  was  not  musical,  but  it  possessed  a 
mighty  volume,  and  as  the  quaint  sea  chorus  roared 
and  echoed  through  the  stately  forest,  the  very  trees 
appeared  to  be  listening  in  silent  wonder  to  the  unac 
customed  sounds.  Even  Musky,  Luvtuk,  big  Amook, 
and  the  other  dogs  seemed  by  their  dismal  howlings 
to  be  expressing  either  appreciation  or  disapprobation 
of  the  sailor-man's  efforts. 

The  performers  in  this  open-air  concert  were  too 
deeply  intent  on  their  own  affairs  to  pay  any  heed  to 
the  approach  of  the  returning  sledge  pai'ty,  who  were 
thus  enabled  to  come  within  full  view  of  a  most  ex 
traordinary  scene  unnoticed.  Just  beyond  the  camp, 
in  a  semicircle,  facing  the  fire,  a  dozen  dogs,  resting  on 
their  haunches,  lifted  both  their  voices  and  sharp- 


202  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

pointed  noses  to  the  sky.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
fire  sat  Jalap  Coombs,  holding  Nel-te  in  his  arms,  rock 
ing  him  to  and  fro  in  time  to  the  chorus  that  he  was 
pouring  forth  with  the  full  power  of  his  lungs,  and  ut 
terly  oblivous  to  everything  save  his  own  unusual  oc 
cupation  of  putting  a  baby  to  sleep. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Ho,  ho,  ho !"  roared  Phil  and  Serge, 
unable  to  restrain  their  mirth  a  moment  longer.  "  Oh 
my  !  oh  my  !  Oh,  Mr.  Coombs,  you'll  be  the  death  of 
me  yet !  Whatever  are  you  doing  ?  Didn't  know  you 
could  sing  !  What  a  capital  nurse  you  make  !  What 
a  soft  voice  for  lullabies  !  The  dogs,  too  !  Oh  dear  ! 
I  shall  laugh  at  the  thought  of  this  if  I  live  to  be  a 
hundred  !  Don't  mind  us,  though.  Keep  right  on. 
Please  do!" 

But  the  concert  was  ended.  Jalap  Coombs  sprang 
to  his  feet  with  a  startled  yell,  and  dropped  the  child, 
who  screamed  with  the  fright  of  his  sudden  awaken 
ing.  The  dogs,  whose  harmonious  howlings  were  so 
abruptly  interrupted,  slunk  away  with  tails  between 
their  legs,  and  hid  themselves  in  deepest  shadows. 

"  There,  there,  little  chap  !  Don't  be  frightened," 
cried  Phil,  darting  forward  and  picking  up  the  child, 
though  still  shaking  with  laughter.  "It's  all  right 
now.  Brother  Phil  will  protect  you,  and  not  let  the 
big  man  frighten  you  any  more." 

"  I  frighten  him  indeed  !"  retorted  Jalap  Coombs,  in 
dignantly.  "He  was  sleeping  quiet  and  peaceful  as  a  seal 
pup;  and  I  were  jest  humming  a  bit  of  a  ditty  that 
useter  be  sung  to  me  when  I  were  a  kid,  so's  he'd  have 
something  pleasant  to  dream  about.  Then  you  young 
swabs  had  to  come  creeping  up  and  yell  like  a  couple 
of  wild  hoodoos,  and  set  the  dogs  to  howling  and  scare 
the  kid,  to  say  nothing  of  me,  which  ef  I  had  ye  aboard 
ship  I'd  masthead  ye  both  till  ye  larnt  manners.  Oh, 
ye  may  snicker  !  But  I  have  my  opinion  all  the  same 


JALAP  AND  THE  DOGS  SING  A  LULLABY    203 

of  any  man  as  '11  wake  a  sleeping  child,  specially  when 
he's  wore  out  with  crying,  all  on  account  of  being  de- 
sarted.  And  I'm  not  the  only  one  nuther.  There  was 
old  Kite  Roberson  useter  clap  a  muzzle  onto  his  wife's 
canary  whenever  she'd  get  the  kids  to  sleep,  for  fear 
the  critter  'd  bust  into  singing.  But  it's  all  right. 
You'll  know  how  it  is  yourselves  some  day." 

Phil,  seeing  that,  for  the  first  time  since  he  had 
known  him,  the  mate  was  thoroughly  indignant,  set 
out  to  smooth  his  ruffled  feelings. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Coombs,"  he  said,  "  we  didn't  mean  to 
startle  you,  but  those  wretched  dogs  kept  up  such  a 
howling  that  we  couldn't  make  ourselves  heard  as  we 
neared  camp.  I'm  sure  I  don't  see  how  you  could 
think  we  were  laughing  at  you.  It  was  those  absurd 
dogs,  and  you'd  have  laughed  yourself  if  you'd  looked 
up  and  seen  them.  I'm  sure  it  was  awfully  good  of 
you  to  take  so  much  trouble  over  this  little  fellow,  and 
put  him  so  nicely  to  sleep  with  your  sing — I  mean 
with  your  humming,  though  I  assure  you  we  didn't  hear 
a  hum." 

"  Waal,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  somewhat  mollified 
by  Phil's  attitude,  "I  warn't  humming  very  loud,  not 
nigh  so  loud  as  I  had  been  at  fust.  Ye  see,  I  were 
kinder  tapering  off  so  as  to  lay  the  kid  down,  and  be 
gin  to  get  supper  'gainst  you  kiin  back." 

"  Yes,  I  see,"  said  Phil,  almost  choking  with  sup 
pressed  laughter.  "  But  how  did  it  happen  that  you 
were  compelled  to  act  as  nurse?  The  little  chap 
seemed  happy  enough  when  we  went  away." 

"  So  he  were,  till  he  found  you  was  gone.  Then  he 
begun  to  pipe  his  eye  and  set  storm  signals,  and  di 
rectly  it  come  on  to  blow  a  hurricane  with  heavy 
squalls.  So  I  had  to  stand  by.  Fust  off  I  thought  the 
masts  would  surely  go  ;  but  I  took  a  reef  here  and 
there,  and  kinder  got  things  snugged  down,  till  after 


204  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

a  while  the  sky  broke,  the  sun  kim  out,  and  fair  weath 
er  sot  in  once  more." 

"  Well,"  said  Phil,  admiringly,  "  you  certainly  acted 
with  the  judgment  of  an  A  No.  1  seaman,  and  I  don't 
believe  even  your  esteemed  friend  Captain  Robinson 
could  have  done  better.  We  shall  call  on  you  when 
ever  our  little  pilot  gets  into  troubled  waters  .again, 
and  feel  that  we  are  placing  him  in  the  best  possible 
hands." 

At  which  praise  Jalap  Coombs  was  greatly  pleased, 
and  said  as  how  he'd  be  proud  at  all  times  to  stand  by 
the  kid.  Thus  on  the  same  day  that  little  Nel-te  Mc- 
Leod  lost  his  parents  he  found  a  brother  and  two 
stanch  friends. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
NEL-TE    QUALIFIES   AS   A   BRANCH    PILOT 

ALTHOUGH  disappointed  of  their  guide,  there  was 
nothing  for  the  sledge  party  to  do  but  push  on  and 
trust  to  their  own  good  judgment  to  carry  them  safely 
to  the  end  of  their  journey.  So  as  much  of  the  moose 
meat  as  could  be  loaded  on  a  sledge,  or  several  hun 
dred  pounds  in  all,  was  prepared  and  frozen  that  even 
ing.  Both  then  and  in  the  morning  the  dogs  were 
given  all  they  could  eat — so  much,  in  fact,  that  they 
were  greatly  disinclined  to  travel  during  most  of  the 
following  day. 

The  latest  addition  to  the  party,  after  being  rudely 
awakened  from  the  slumber  into  which  Jalap  Coombs's 
singing  had  lulled  him,  called  pitifully  for  his  mother, 
and,  refusing  to  be  comforted,  finally  sobbed  himself 
to  sleep  on  Phil's  bear-skin  in  front  of  the  fire.  Here 
he  spent  the  night,  tucked  warmly  in  a  rabbit-skin 
robe,  nestled  between  Phil  and  Serge  with  all  his  sor 
rows  forgotten  for  the  time  being.  In  the  early  morn 
ing  he  was  a  very  sober  little  lad,  with  a  grievance 
that  was  not  to  be  banished  even  by  the  sight  of  his 
beloved  "  doggies,"  while  the  advances  of  his  human 
friends  were  met  by  a  dignified  silence.  He  was  too 
hungry  to  refuse  the  food  offered  him  by  Serge  ;  but 
he  ate  it  with  a  strictly  business-like  air,  in  which 
there  was  nothing  of  unbending  nor  forgiveness.  To 
Phil's  attempts  at  conversation  he  turned  a  deaf  ear, 
nor  would  he  even  so  much  as  smile  when  Jalap 


206  SNOW-SHOES  AND  SLEDGES 

Coombs  made  faces  at  him,  or  got  down  on  hands  and 
knees  and  growled  for  his  special  benefit.  He  was 
evidently  .not  to  be  won  by  any  such  foolishness. 

He  was  roused  to  an  exhibition  of  slight  interest  by 
the  tinkling  music  of  Husky's  bells  when  the  dogs 
were  harnessed;  and  when,  everything  being  ready  for 
a  start,  Phil  lifted  him  on  the  foremost  sledge,  and 
tucked  him  into  a  spare  sleeping-bag  that  was  securely 
lashed  to  it,  he  murmured  :  "  Mamma,  Nel-te  go  mam 
ma." 

The  loads  having  been  redistributed  to  provide  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  young  passenger,  this  fore 
most  sledge  bore,  besides  Nel-te,  only  the  Forty  Mile 
mail,  the  sleeping  equipment  of  the  party,  and  their 
extra  fur  clothing,  the  chynik,  in  which  was  stored  the 
small  quantity  of  tea  still  remaining,  what  was  left  of 
the  pemmican,  and  an  axe.  As,  with  its  load,  it  did 
not  weigh  over  two  hundred  pounds,  its  team  was  re 
duced  to  three  dogs,  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and  big  Amook. 
Serge  still  drove  seven  dogs,  and  his  sledge  bore  the 
entire  camp  equipment  and  stock  of  provisions,  except 
the  recently  acquired  moose  meat.  This  was  loaded 
on  the  last  sledge,  which  was  drawn  by  five  dogs,  and 
driven  by  Jalap  Coombs  according  to  his  own  peculiar 
fashion. 

As  soon  as  the  sledges  were  in  motion,  and  Nel-te 
conceived  the  idea  that  he  was  going  home,  his  spirits 
revived  to  such  an  extent  that  he  chirruped  cheerfully 
to  the  dogs,  and  even  smiled  occasionally  at  Phil,  who 
strode  alongside. 

They  crossed  Fox  Lake,  passed  up  the  stream  that 
connected  it  with  Indian  Trail  Lake,  and  finally  went 
into  camp  on  the  edge  of  the  forest  at  the  head  of  the 
latter  earlier  than  usual,  because  they  could  not  see 
their  way  to  the  making  of  any  further  progress.  Al 
though  they  felt  certain  that  there  must  be  some  stream 


NEL-TE    QUALIFIES    AS   A    BRANCH   PILOT  207 

flowing  into  the  lake  by  which  they  could  leave  it, 
they  could  discover  no  sign  of  its  opening.  So  they 
made  camp,  and,  leaving  Jalap  Coombs  to  care  for  it, 
Phil  and  Serge  departed  in  opposite  directions  to  scan 
every  foot  of  the  shore  in  search  of  a  place  of  exit. 

On  reaching  this  camping-place  Nel-te  looked  about 
him  inquiringly  and  with  evident  disappointment,  but 
he  said  nothing,  and  only  gazed  wistfully  after  the  two 
lads  when  they  set  forth  on  their  search.  For  a  time 
he  hung  about  the  camp-fire  watching  Jalap  Coombs, 
who  was  too  busily  engaged  in  cooking  supper  and 
preparing  for  the  night  to  pay  much  attention  to  him. 
At  length  the  little  chap  strolled  over  to  the  sledges, 
and  engaged  in  a  romp  with  the  three  dogs  who  dragged 
his  particular  conveyance.  Every  now  and  then  his 
shrill  laughter  came  to  Jalap's  ears,  and  assured  the 
latter  that  the  child  was  safe. 

After  a  while  the  explorers  returned,  both  completely 
discouraged  and  perplexed. 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  inlet  to  this  wretched 
lake  !"  cried  Phil,  flinging  himself  down  on  a  pile  of 
robes.  "  I've  searched  every  foot  of  coast  on  my  side, 
and  am  willing  to  swear  that  there  isn't  an  opening 
big  enough  for  a  rabbit  to  squeeze  through,  so  far  as  I 
went." 

"Nor  could  I  find  a  sign  of  one,"  affirmed  Serge, 
"  though  perhaps  in  the  morning — " 

"  Hello  !  Where's  Nel-te  ?"  interrupted  Phil,  spring 
ing  to  his  feet  and  gazing  about  him  anxiously. 

"  He  were  about  here  jest  as  you  boys  kim  in,"  re 
plied  Jalap  Coombs,  suspending  operations  at  the  fire, 
and  gazing  about  him  with  a  startled  expression.  "  I 
heered  him  playing  with  the  dogs  not  more'n  a  minute 
ago." 

"  Well,  he  isn't  in  sight  now,"  said  Phil,  in  a  voice 
whose  tone  betrayed  his  alarm,  "  and  if  we  don't  find 


208  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

him  in  a  hurry  there's  a  chance  of  our  not  doing  it  at 
all,  for  it  will  be  dark  in  fifteen  minutes  more." 

As  be  spoke,  Phil  hastily  replaced  the  snow-shoes 
that  he  had  just  laid  aside.  Serge  did  the  same  thing, 
and  then  they  began  to  circle  about  the  camp  with 
heads  bent  low  in  search  of  the  tiny  trail.  At  short 
intervals  they  called  aloud  the  name  of  the  missing 
one,  but  only  the  mocking  forest  echoes  answered 
them. 

Suddenly  Serge  uttered  a  joyful  shout.  He  had 
found  the  prints  of  small  snow-shoes  crossed  and  re- 
crossed  by  those  of  dogs.  In  a  moment  Phil  joined 
him,  and  the  two  followed  the  trail  together.  It  led 
for  a  short  distance  along  the  border  of  the  lake  in  the 
direction  previously  taken  by  Phil,  and  then,  making  a 
sharp  bend  to  the  right,  struck  directly  into  the  forest. 

When  the  boys  reached  the  edge  of  the  timber  they 
found  a  low  opening  so  overhung  by  bushes  as  to  be 
effectually  concealed  from  careless  observation.  The 
curtaining  growth  was  so  bent  down  with  a  weight  of 
snow  that  even  Nel-te  must  have  stooped  to  pass  under 
it.  That  he  had  gone  that  way  was  shown  by  the  trail 
still  dimly  visible  in  the  growing  dusk,  and  the  lads 
did  not  hesitate  to  follow.  Forcing  a  path  through 
the  bushes,  which  extended  only  a  few  yards  back 
from  the  lake,  they  found  themselves  in  an  open  high 
way,  evidently  the  frozen  surface  of  a  stream. 

"  Hurrah !"  shouted  Phil,  who  was  the  first  to  gain 
it.  "I  believe  this  is  the  very  creek  we  have  been 
searching  for.  It  must  be,  and  the  little  chap  has 
found  it  for  us." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Serge.  "  It  begins  to  look  as  though 
Cree  Jim's  son  had  taken  Cree  Jim's  place  as  guide." 

Now  the  boys  pushed  forward  with  increased  speed. 
At  length  they  heard  the  barking  of  dogs,  and  began 
to  shout,  but  received  no  answer.  They  had  gone  a 


NEL-TE   QUALIFIES   AS   A   BRANCH   PILOT  209 

full  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  lake  ere  they  caught 
sight  of  the  little  fur -clad  figure  plodding  steadily 
forward  on  what  he  fondly  hoped  to  be  his  way  tow 
ards  home  and  the  mother  for  whom  his  baby  heart  so 
longed.  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and  big  Amook  were  his 
companions,  and  not  until  he  was  caught  up  in  Phil's 
arms  did  the  child  so  much  as  turn  his  head  or  pay  the 
slightest  heed  to  those  who  followed  his  trail. 

As  he  was  borne  back  in  triumph  towards  camp  his 
lower  lip  quivered,  and  two  big  tears  rolled  down  his 
chubby  cheeks,  but  he  did  not  cry  nor  utter  a  com 
plaint  ;  nor  from  that  time  on  did  he  make  further 
effort  to  regain  his  lost  home.  The  boys  had  hardly 
begun  to  retrace  their  steps  when  another  figure 
loomed  out  of  the  shadows  and  came  rapidly  towards 
them.  It  looked  huge  in  the  dim  light,  and  advanced 
with  gigantic  strides. 

"  Hello !"  cried  Phil,  as  he  recognized  the  new 
comer.  "  Where  are  you  bound  ?" 

"  Bound  to  get  lost  along  with  the  rest  of  the  crew," 
replied  Jalap  Coombs,  stoutly.  "Didn't  I  tell  ye  I 
wouldn't  put  up  with  your  gettin'  lost  alone  ag'in  ?" 

"  That's  so ;  but  you  see  I  forgot,"  laughed  Phil. 
"  Now  that  we  are  all  found,  though,  let's  get  back  to 
the  supper  that  you  were  cooking  before  you  decided 
to  get  lost.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Coombs,  do  you  realize 
that  this  is  the  very  stream  for  which  we  have  been 
hunting  ?  What  do  you  think  of  our  young  pilot  now?" 

"  Think  of  him  !"  exclaimed  Jalap  Coombs.  "  I 
think  he's  jest  the  same  as  all  in  the  piloting  business — 
pernicketty.  Knows  a  heap  more'n  he'll  ever  tell,  and 
won't  ever  p'int  out  a  channel  till  you're  just  about  to 
run  aground.  Then  he'll  do  it  kinder  keerless  andon- 
consarned,  same  as  the  kid  done  jest  now.  Oh,  he's  a 
regular  branch  pilot,  he  is,  and  up  to  all  the  tricks  of 
the  trade." 

14 


210  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

Bright  and  early  the  following  morning,  thanks  to 
Nel-te's  pilotage,  the  sledges  were  speeding  up  the 
creek  on  their  way  to  Lost  Lake.  By  nightfall  they 
had  crossed  it,  three  other  small  lakes,  descended  an 
outlet  of  the  last  to  Little  Salmon  River,  and  after  a 
run  of  five  miles  down  that  stream  found  themselves 
once  more  amid  the  ice  hummocks  of  the  Yukon,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Pelly.  Of  this  distance  they  had  saved  about  one- 
third  by  their  adventurous  cut-off. 

The  end  of  another  week  found  them  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  farther  up  the  Yukon  and  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Tahkeena.  It  had  been  a  week  of  the  roughest 
kind  of  travel,  and  its  hard  work  was  telling  severely  on 
the  dogs. 

As  they  made  their  last  camp  on  the  mighty  river 
they  were  to  leave  for  good  on  the  morrow,  they  were 
both  glad  and  sorry.  '  Glad  to  leave  its  rough  ice  and 
escape  the  savage  difficulties  that  it  offered  in  the 
shape  of  canons  and  roaring  rapids  only  a  few  miles 
above,  and  sorry  to  desert  its  well-marked  course  for 
the  little-known  Tahkeena. 

Still,  their  dogs  could  not  hold  out  for  another  week 
on  the  Yukon,  while  over  the  smooth  going  of  the 
tributary  stream  they  might  survive  the  hardships  of 
the  journey  to  its  very  end ;  and  without  these  faith 
ful  servants  our  travellers  would  indeed  be  in  a  sorry 
plight.  So,  while  they  reminisced  before  their  roaring 
camp-fire  of  the  many  adventures  they  had  encoun 
tered  since  entering  Yukon  mouth,  two  thousand  miles 
away,  they  looked  hopefully  forward  to  their  journey's 
end,  now  less  than  as  many  hundred  miles  from  that 
point.  To  the  dangers  of  the  lofty  mountain  range 
they  had  yet  to  cross  they  gave  but  little  thought,  for 
the  mountains  were  still  one  hundred  miles  away. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH  CREATES  A  SENSATION 

ONE  evening  late  in  March  the  smoke  of  a  lonely 
camp-fire  curled  above  a  fringe  of  stunted  spruces 
forming  the  timber-line  high  up  on  the  northern  slope 
of  the  Alaskan  coast  range.  Kotusk,  the  natives  call 
these  mountains.  Far  below  lay  the  spotless  sheet  of 
Takh  Lake,  from  which  the  Tahkeena  winds  for  one 
hundred  miles  down  its  rugged  valley  to  swell  the 
Yukon  flood.  From  the  foot  of  the  mountains  the  un 
broken  solitude  of  the  vast  northern  wilderness  swept 
away  in  ice-bound  silence  to  the  polar  sea.  Far  to  the 
westward  St.  Elias  and  Wrangel,  the  great  northern 
sentinels  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  system,  reared  their 
massive  heads  nearly  twenty  thousand  feet  above  the 
Pacific.  From  them  the  mighty  range  of  snow-clad 
peaks  follows  the  coast  line  eastward,  gathering  with 
icy  fingers  the  mist  clouds  ever  rising  from  the  warm 
ocean  waters,  converting  them  with  frigid  breath  into 
the  grandest  glaciers  of  the  continent,  and  sending 
these  slowly  grinding  their  resistless  way  back  to  the 
sea. 

On  one  side  of  this  stupendous  barrier  our  sledge 
party  from  the  Yukon  was  now  halted.  On  the  other 
lay  the  frontier  of  civilization,  safety,  and  their  jour 
ney's  end.  Between  the  two  points  rose  the  mountains, 
calmly  contemptuous  of  human  efforts  to  penetrate 
their  secrets  of  avalanche  and  glacier,  icy  precipice 
and  snow  -  filled  gorge,  fierce  blizzard  and  ice  -  laden 


212  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

whirlwind,  desolation  and  death.  It  is  no  wonder  that, 
face  to  face  with  such  things,  the  little  group,  gathered 
about  the  last  camp-fire  they  might  see  for  days  or 
or  perhaps  forever,  should  be  unusually  quiet  and 
thoughtful. 

Still  clad  in  their  well-worn  garments  of  fur,  they 
were  engaged  in  characteristic  occupations.  Phil,  look 
ing  anxious  and  careworn,  was  standing  close  to  the 
fire  warming  and  cleaning  his  rifle.  Serge  was  making 
a  stew  of  the  last  of  their  moose  meat,  which  would 
afterwards  be  frozen  and  taken  with  them  into  untim- 
bered  regions  where  camp-fires  would  be  unknown. 
Jalap  Coombs  was  thoughtfully  mending  a  broken 
snow-shoe,  and  at  the  same  time  finding  his  task  sadly 
interrupted  by  Nel-te,  who,  nestled  between  his  knees, 
was  trying  to  attract  the  sailor-man's  undivided  atten 
tion. 

The  little  chap,  with  his  great  sorrow  forgotten,  was 
now  the  life  and  pet  of  the  party.  So  firmly  was  his 
place  established  among  them  that  they  wondered  how 
they  had  ever  borne  the  loneliness  of  a  camp  without 
his  cheery  presence,  and  could  hardly  realize  that  he 
had  only  recently  come  into  their  lives.  Now,  too, 
half  the  anxiety  with  which  they  regarded  the  peril 
ous  way  before  them  was  on  his  account. 

"I'm  worrying  most  about  the  dogs,"  said  Phil,  con 
tinuing  a  conversation  begun  some  time  before,  "  and 
I  am  afraid  some  of  them  will  give  out  before  we 
reach  the  summit." 

"Yes,"  agreed  Serge;  "to-day's  pull  up  from  the 
lake  has  told  terribly  on  them,  and  Amook's  feet  have 
been  badly  cut  by  the  crust  ever  since  he  ate  his  boots." 

"  Poor  old  dog  !"  said  Phil.  "  It  was  awfully  care 
less  of  me  to  forget  and  leave  them  on  him  all  night. 
I  don't  wonder  a  bit  at  his  eating  them,  though,  con 
sidering  the  short  rations  he's  been  fed  on  lately." 


THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH  CREATES  A  SENSATION    213 

The  dogs  were  indeed  having  a  hard  time.  Worn 
by  months  of  sledge-pulling  over  weary  leagues  of 
snow  and  ice,  their  trials  only  increased  as  the  tedious 
journey  progressed.  The  days  were  now  so  long  that 
each  offered  a  full  twelve  hours  of  sunlight,  while  the 
snow  was  so  softened  by  the  growing  warmth  that  in 
the  middle  of  the  day  it  seriously  clogged  both  snow- 
shoes  and  sledges.  Then  a  crust  would  form,  through 
which  the  poor  dogs  would  break  for  an  hour  or  more, 
until  it  stiffened  sufficiently  to  bear  their  weight. 
Added  to  these  tribulations  was  such  a  scarcity  of 
food  that  half-rations  had  become  the  rule  for  every 
one,  men  as  well  as  dogs,  excepting  Nel-te,  who  had 
not  yet  been  allowed  to  suffer  on  that  account.  Of 
the  many  dogs  that  had  been  connected  with  the 
expedition  at  different  times  only  nine  were  now 
left,  and  some  of  these  would  evidently  not  go  much 
farther. 

As  the  boys  talked  of  the  condition  of  these  trusty 
servants,  and  exchanged  anxious  forebodings  concern 
ing  the  crossing  of  the  mountains,  their  attention  was 
attracted  by  an  exclamation  from  Jalap  Coombs. 
Nel-te  had  been  so  insistent  in  demanding  his  atten 
tion  that  the  sailor-man  was  finally  obliged  to  lay  aside 
his  work  and  lift  the  child  to  his  knees,  saying, 

"  Waal,  Cap'n  Kid,  what's  the  orders  now,  sir  ?" 

"  Cap'n  Kid  "  was  the  name  he  had  given  to  the  lit 
tle  fellow  on  the  occasion  of  the  latter's  debut  as  pilot ; 
for,  as  he  said,  "  Every  branch  pilot  answers  to  the  hail 
of  cap'n,  and  this  one  being  a  kid  becomes  *  Cap'n  Kid ' 
by  rights." 

For  answer  to  his  question  the  child  held  out  a 
small  fur-booted  foot,  and  intimated  that  the  boot 
should  be  pulled  off. 

"  Bad  foot,  hurt  Nel-te,"  he  said. 

"  So  !  something  gone  wrong  with  your  running  rig- 


214  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

ging,  eh  ?"  queried  Jalap  Coombs,  as  he  pulled  off  the 
offending  boot.  Before  he  could  investigate  it  the 
little  chap  reached  forward,  and,  thrusting  a  chubby 
hand  down  to  its  very  toe,  drew  forth  in  triumph  the 
object  that  had  been  annoying  him.  As  he  made  a 
motion  to  fling  it  out  into  the  snow,  Jalap  Coombs, 
out  of  curiosity  to  see  what  had  worried  the  child, 
caught  his  hand.  The  next  moment  he  uttered  the 
half-terrified  exclamation  that  attracted  the  attention 
of  Phil  and  Serge. 

As  they  looked  they  saw  him  holding  to  the  firelight 
between  thumb  and  finger,  and  beyond  reach  of  Nel-te, 
who  was  striving  to  regain  it,  an  object  so  strange  and 
yet  so  familiar  that  for  a  moment  they  regarded  it  in 
speechless  amazement. 

"  The  fur-seal's  tooth  !"  cried  Phil.  "  How  can  it 
be?" 

"  It  can't  be  our  fur-seal's  tooth,"  objected  Serge,  in 
a  tone  of  mingled  incredulity  and  awe.  "  There  must 
be  several  of  them." 

"  I  should  think  so  myself, "  replied  Phil,  who  had 
taken  the  object  in  question  from  Jalap  Coombs  for  a 
closer  examination,  "  if  it  were  not  for  a  private  mark 
that  I  scratched  on  it  when  it  was  in  our  possession  at 
St.  Michaels.  See,  here  it  is,  and  so  the  identity  of 
the  tooth  is  established  beyond  a  doubt.  But  how  it 
ever  got  here  I  cannot  conceive.  There  is  actually 
something  supernatural  about  the  whole  thing.  Where 
did  you  say  you  found  it,  Mr.  Coombs  ?" 

"  In  Cap'n  Kid's  boot,"  replied  the  mate,  who  had 
just  restored  that  article  to  the  child's  foot.  "But 
blow  me  for  a  porpus  ef  I  kin  understand  how  ever  it 
got  there.  Last  time  I  seen  it  'twas  back  to  Forty 
Mile." 

"Yes,"  said  Serge,"  Judge  Riley  had  it." 

"  I  remember  seeing  him  put  it  into  a  vest-pocket," 


THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH  CREATES  A  SENSATION   215 

added  Phil,  "  and  meant  to  ask  him  for  it,  but  forgot 
to  do  so.  Now  to  have  it  appear  from  the  boot  of 
that  child,  who  has  never  been  to  Forty  Mile,  or  cer 
tainly  not  since  we  left  there,  is  simply  miraculous. 
It  beats  any  trick  of  spiritualism  or  conjuring  I  ever 
heard  of.  The  mystery  of  the  tooth's  appearing  at  St. 
Michaels  after  ray  father  lost  it,  only  a  short  time  be 
fore  at  Oonalaska,  was  strange  enough ;  but  that  was 
nothing  to  this." 

"  There  must  be  magic  in  it,"  said  Serge,  who  from 
early  associations  was  inclined  to  be  superstitious. 
"  I  don't  care,  though,  if  there  is,"  he  added,  stoutly. 
"  I  believe  the  tooth  has  come  to  us  at  this  time  of  our 
despondency  as  an  omen  of  good-fortune,  and  now  I 
feel  certain  that  we  shall  pull  through  all  right.  You 
remember,  Phil,  the  saying  that  goes  with  it :  '  He 
who  receives  it  as  a  gift  receives  good-luck.' " 

"  Who  has  received  it  as  a  gift  this  time  ?"  inquired 
the  Yankee  lad. 

"  We  all  have,  though  it  seems  to  have  been  espe 
cially  sent  to  Nel-te,  and  you  know  he  is  the  one  we 
were  most  anxious  about." 

"  That's  so,"  assented  Phil,  "  and  from  this  time  on 
Nel-te  shall  wear  it  as  a  charm,  though  I  suppose  it 
won't  stay  with  him  any  longer  than  suits  its  con 
venience.  I  never  had  a  superstition  in  my  life,  and 
haven't  believed  in  such  things,  but  I  must  confess  that 
my  unbelief  is  shaken  by  this  affair.  There  isn't  any 
possible  way,  that  I  can  see,  for  this  tooth  to  have  got 
here  except  by  magic  of  some  kind." 

"It  beats  the  Flying  Dutchman  and  merrymaids," 
said  Jalap  Coombs,  solemnly,  as  he  lighted  his  pipe 
for  a  quieting  smoke.  "  D'  ye  know,  lads,  I'm  coming 
to  think  as  how  it  were  all  on  account  of  this  'ere  curio 
being  aboard  the  steamer  Norsk  that  she  stopped  and 
picked  you  up  in  Bering  Sea  that  night." 


216  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"Nonsense  !"  cried  Phil.     "That  is  impossible." 

Thus  purely  through  ignorance  this  lad,  who  was 
usually  so  sensible  and  level-headed,  declared  with  one 
breath  his  belief  in  an  impossibility,  and  with  the  next 
his  disbelief  of  a  fact.  All  of  which  serves  to  illustrate 
the  folly  of  making  assertions  concerning  subjects 
about  which  we  are  ignorant.  There  is  nothing  so 
mysterious  that  it  cannot  be  explained,  and  nothing 
more  foolish  than  to  declare  a  thing  impossible  simply 
because  we  are  too  ignorant  to  understand  it. 

In  the  present  case  Serge  and  Jalap  Coombs,  and 
even  Phil,  who  should  have  known  better,  were  ready 
to  believe  that  the  fur-seal's  tooth  had  come  to  them 
through  some  supernatural  agency,  because,  in  their 
ignorance,  they  could  not  imagine  how  it  could  have 
come  in  any  other  way.  We  laugh  at  their  simplicity 
because  of  our  wisdom.  We  saw  Mr.  Platt  Riley  drop 
the  tooth  into  one  of  their  sleeping-bags  at  Forty  Mile. 
Knowing  this,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  that  same 
sleeping-bag,  which  happened  to  be  the  extra  one  ac 
quired  by  the  turning  over  to  Jalap  Coombs  of  Stren- 
gel's  stolen  property,  should  be  selected  as  Nel-te's 
travelling-bag,  and  lashed  to  a  sledge  for  his  occupancy 
in  the  daytime.  In  his  restlessness  he  had  kicked  the 
tooth  about  until  it  finally  worked  its  way  into  one  of  his 
little  fur  boots,  and  that  is  all  there  was  to  the  mystery. 

Still,  it  afforded  a  fertile  topic  for  conversation 
around  that  lonely  mountain-side  camp-fire  long  after 
Phil  had  strung  it  on  a  buckskin  thong  and  hung  it 
about  the  child's  neck,  at  the  same  time  taking  the 
precaution  to  tuck  it  snugly  inside  his  little  fur  parka. 
All  agreed  that  they  were  glad  to  have  the  fur-seal's 
tooth  in  their  possession  once  more  ;  and  on  account 
of  its  presence  among  them  they  were  ready  to  face 
the  difficulties  that  would  confront  them  on  the  mor 
row  with  a  cheerful  confidence. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII 
LOST   IN   A   MOUNTAIN   BLIZZARD 

TIRED  as  were  the  occupants  of  that  lonely  camp 
after  a  day  of  exhausting  climbing  up  through  the 
timber,  their  slumbers  were  broken  and  restless.  The 
uncertainties  of  the  morrow,  the  peculiar  nature  of  the 
road  they  had  yet  to  travel,  and  the  excitement  conse 
quent  upon  nearing  the  end  of  their  journey,  which  none 
of  them  believed  to  be  over  fifty  miles  away,  all  com 
bined  to  render  them  wakeful  and  uneasy.  So  they  were 
up  by  the  first  sign  of  daylight,  and  off  before  sunrise. 

As  there  were  now  but  three  dogs  to  a  sledge,  the 
load  of  the  one  driven  by  Serge  was  divided  between 
it  and  the  one  that  brought  up  the  rear  in  charge  of 
Jalap  Coombs.  A  few  sticks  of  dry  wood  were  also 
placed  on  each  sledge,  so  that  in  crossing  the  upper 
ice-fields  they  might  at  least  be  able  to  melt  snow  for 
drinking  purposes. 

"  Now  for  it!"  cried  Phil,  cheerfully,  as  they  emerged 
from  the  scanty  timber,  and  shivered  in  the  chill  blast 
that  swept  down  from  the  towering  peaks  above  them. 
Between  two  of  these  was  a  saddle-like  depression  that 
they  took  to  be  the  pass,  and  to  it  the  young  leader  de 
termined  to  guide  his  little  party. 

"  Up  you  go,  Musky  !"  he  shouted.  "  Pull,  Luvtuk, 
my  pigeon !  Amook,  you  old  rascal,  show  what  you 
are  good  for  !  A  little  more  work,  a  little  more  hun 
ger,  and  then  rest,  with  plenty  to  eat.  So  stir  your 
selves  and  climb  !" 


218  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

With  this  the  long  whip-lash  whistled  through  the 
frosty  air  and  cracked  with  a  resounding  report  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  the  most  expert  of  Eskimo 
drivers,  for  our  Phil  was  no  longer  a  novice  in  its  use, 
and  with  a  yelp  the  dogs  sprang  forward. 

Up,  up,  up  they  climbed,  until,  as  Phil  remarked,  it 
didn't  seem  as  though  the  top  of  the  world  could  be 
very  far  away.  The  sun  rose  and  flooded  the  snow- 
fields  with  such  dazzling  radiance  that  but  for  their 
protecting  goggles  our  travellers  must  have  been  com 
pletely  blinded  by  the  glare.  The  deep  gulch  whose 
windings  they  followed  held  in  summer-time  a  roaring 
torrent;  but  now  it  was  filled  with  solidly  packed  snow 
from  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  feet  deep. 

As  they  advanced  the  gulch  grew  more  and  more 
shallow,  until  at  length  it  was  merged  in  a  broad,  uni 
form  slope  so  steep  and  slippery  that  they  were  obliged 
to  cut  footholds  in  the  snow,  and  at  frequent  intervals 
carve  out  little  benches  two  feet  wide.  From  one  of 
these  to  another  they  dragged  the  sledges,  one  at  a 
time,  with  rawhide  ropes.  Even  the  dogs  had  to  be 
assisted  up  the  glassy  incline,  on  which  they  could 
gain  no  hold.  So  arduous  was  this  labor  that  three 
hours  were  spent  in  overcoming  the  last  five  hundred 
feet  of  the  ascent.  Thus  it  was  long  past  noon  when, 
breathless  and  exhausted,  the  party  reached  the  sum 
mit,  or  rather  a  slope  so  gentle  that  the  dogs  could 
once  more  drag  the  sledges. 

Here,  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  five  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea,  they  paused  for  breath,  for  a  bite  of 
lunch,  and  for  a  last  look  back  over  the  way  they  had 
come.  From  this  elevation  their  view  embraced  a 
sweep  of  over  one  hundred  miles  of  mountain  and 
plain,  river  and  forest.  It  was  so  far-reaching  and 
boundless  that  it  even  seemed  as  if  they  could  take  in 
the  whole  vast  Yukon  Valley,  and  locate  points  that 


LOST   IN   A   MOUNTAIN    BLIZZARD  219 

common-sense  told  them  were  a  thousand  miles  be 
yond  their  range  of  vision.  Grand  as  was  the  pros 
pect,  they  did  not  care  to  look  at  it  long.  Time  was 
precious  ;  the  air,  in  spite  of  its  sunlight,  was  bitterly 
chill,  and,  after  all,  the  mighty  wilderness  now  be 
hind  them  held  too  many  memories  of  hardship,  suffer 
ing,  and  danger  to  render  it  attractive. 

So,  "  Hurrah  for  the  coast !"  cried  Phil. 

"  Hurrah  for  Sitka  !"  echoed  Serge. 

"  Hooray  for  salt  water  !  Now,  bullies,  up  and  at 
'em  !"  roared  Jalap  Coombs,  expressing  a  sentiment 
and  an  order  to  his  sailor-bred  dogs  in  a  breath. 

In  a  few  moments  more  the  wonderful  view  had 
disappeared,  and  the  sledges  were  threading  their  way 
amid  a  chaos  of  gigantic  bowlders  and  snow-covered 
landslides  from  the  peaks  that  rose  on  both  sides. 
There  was  no  sharp  descent  from  the  summit,  such  as 
they  had  hoped  to  find,  but  instead  a  lofty  plateau 
piled  thick  with  obstructions.  About  them  no  green 
thing  was  to  be  seen,  no  sign  of  life  ;  only  snow,  ice, 
and  precipitous  cliffs  of  bare  rock.  The  all-pervading 
and  absolute  silence  was  awful.  There  was  no  trail 
that  might  be  followed,  for  the  hardiest  of  natives 
dared  not  attempt  that  crossing  in  the  winter.  Even 
if  they  had,  their  trail  would  have  been  obliterated 
almost  as  soon  as  made  by  the  fierce  storms  of  those 
altitudes.  So  their  only  guide  was  that  of  general  di 
rection,  which  they  knew  to  be  south,  and  to  this  course 
Phil  endeavored  to  hold. 

That  night  they  made  a  chill  camp  in  the  lee  of  a 
great  bowlder  ;  that  is,  in  as  much  of  a  lee  as  could  be 
had,  where  the  icy  blast  swept  in  circles  and  eddies 
from  all  directions  at  once.  They  started  a  fire,  but 
its  feeble  flame  was  so  blown  hither  and  thither  that 
by  the  time  a  kettle  of  snow  was  melted  and  the  ice 
was  thawed  from  their  stew,  their  supply  of  wood  was 


220  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

so  depleted  that  they  dared  not  use  more.  So  they 
ate  their  scanty  supper  without  tea,  fed  the  dogs  on 
frozen  porridge,  and,  huddling  together  for  warmth 
during  the  long  hours  of  bleak  darkness,  were  thankful 
enough  to  welcome  the  gray  dawn  that  brought  them 
to  an  end. 

For  three  days  more  they  toiled  over  the  terrible 
pleateau,  driven  to  long  detours  by  insurmountable 
obstacles,  buffeted  and  lashed  by  fierce  snow-squalls 
and  ice-laden  gales,  but  ever  pushing  onward  with 
unabated  courage,  expecting  with  each  hour  to  find 
themselves  descending  into  the  valley  of  the  Chilkat 
River.  Two  of  the  dogs  driven  by  Serge  broke  down 
so  completely  that  they  were  mercifully  shot.  The 
third  dog  was  added  to  Jalap  Coombs's  team,  and  the 
load  was  divided  between  the  remaining  sledges,  while 
the  now  useless  one  was  used  as  firewood.  After  that 
Phil  plodded  on  in  advance,  and  Serge  drove  the  lead 
ing  team. 

The  fourth  day  of  this  terrible  work  was  one  of 
leaden  clouds  and  bitter  winds.  The  members  of  the 
little  party  were  growing  desperate  with  cold,  exhaus 
tion,  and  hunger.  Their  wanderings  had  not  brought 
them  to  a  timber-line,  and  as  poor  Phil  faced  the  blast 
with  bowed  head  and  chattering  teeth  it  seemed  to 
him  that  to  be  once  more  thoroughly  warm  would  be 
the  perfection  of  human  happiness. 

It  was  already  growing  dusk,  and  he  was  anxiously 
casting  about  for  the  sorry  shelter  of  some  bowlder 
behind  which  they  might  shiver  away  the  hours  of 
darkness,  when  he  came  to  the  verge  of  a  steep  de 
clivity.  His  heart  leaped  as  he  glanced  down  its  pre 
cipitous  face  ;  for,  far  below,  he  saw  a  dark  mass  that 
he  knew  must  be  timber.  They  could  not  descend  at 
that  point ;  but  he  thought  he  saw  one  that  appeared 
more  favorable  a  little  farther  on,  and  hastened  in  that 


LOST   IN   A   MOUNTAIN   BLIZZAKD  221 

direction.  He  was  already  some  distance  ahead  of  the 
slow-moving  sledges,  and  meant  to  wait  for  them  as 
soon  as  he  discovered  a  place  from  which  the  de 
scent  could  be  made. 

Suddenly  a  whirling,  blinding  cloud  of  snow  swept 
down  on  him  with  such  fury  that  to  face  it  and 
breathe  was  impossible.  Thinking  it  but  a  squall,  he 
turned  his  back  and  stood  motionless,  waiting  for  it  to 
pass  over.  Instead  of  so  doing,  it  momentarily  in 
creased  in  violence  and  density.  A  sudden  darkness 
came  with  the  storm,  and  as  he  anxiously  started  back 
to  meet  the  sledges  he  could  not  see  one  rod  before 
him.  He  began  to  shout,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had 
the  satisfaction  of  hearing  an  answering  cry.  Directly 
afterwards  Serge  loomed  through  the  driving  cloud, 
urging  on  his  reluctant  dogs  with  voice  and  whip. 
The  moment  they  were  allowed  to  stop,  Musky, 
Luvtuk,  and  big  Amook  lay  down  as  though  com 
pletely  exhausted. 

"  We  can't  go  a  step  farther,  Phil !  "We  must  make 
camp  at  once,"  panted  Serge.  "  This  storm  is  a  regu 
lar  poorga,  and  will  probably  last  all  night." 

"  But  where  can  we  camp  ?"  asked  Phil,  in  dismay. 
"  There  is  timber  down  below,  but  it  looks  miles  away, 
and  we  can't  get  to  it  now." 

"  No,"  replied  Serge ;  "  we  must  stay  where  we  are, 
and  burrow  a  hole  in  this  drift  big  enough  to  hold  us. 
We've  got  to  do  it  in  a  hurry,  too." 

So  saying,  Serge  drew  his  knife,  for  the  outside  of 
the  drift  close  to  which  they  were  halted  was  so  hard 
packed  as  to  render  cutting  necessary,  and  outlined  a 
low  opening.  From  this  he  removed  an  unbroken 
slab,  and  then  began  to  dig  furiously  in  the  soft  snow 
beyond. 

In  the  meantime  Phil  was  wondering  why  Jalap 
Coombs  did  not  appear,  for  he  had  supposed  him  to 


222  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

be  close  behind  Serge ;  but  now  his  repeated  shout 
ings  gained  no  reply. 

"He  was  not  more  than  one  hundred  feet  behind 
me  when  the  stprm  began,"  said  Serge,  whose  anxiety 
caused  him  to  pause  in  his  labor,  though  it  was  for  the 
preservation  of  their  lives. 

"  He  must  be  in  some  trouble,"  said  Phil,  "  and  I  am 
going  back  to  find  him." 

"  You  can't  go  alone !"  said  Serge.  "  If  you  are  to 
get  lost  I  must  go  with  you." 

"  No.  One  of  us  must  stay  here  with  Nel-te,  and  it 
is  my  duty  to  go ;  but  do  you  shout  every  few  seconds, 
and  I  promise  not  to  go  beyond  sound  of  your  voice." 

Thus  saying,  Phil  started  back,  and  was  instantly 
swallowed  in  the  vortex  of  the  blizzard.  Faithfully 
did  Serge  shout,  and  faithfully  did  Phil  answer,  for 
nearly  fifteen  minutes.  Then  the  latter  came  stagger 
ing  back,  with  horror-stricken  face  and  voice. 

"I  can't  find  him,  Serge!  Oh,  I  can't  find  him!" 
he  cried.  "  I  am  afraid  he  has  gone  over  the  precipice. 
If  he  has,  it  is  my  fault,  and  I  shall  never  forgive  my 
self,  for  I  had  no  business  to  go  so  far  ahead  and  let 
the  party  get  scattered." 

Serge  answered  not  a  word,  but  fell  with  desperate 
energy  to  the  excavating  of  his  snow-house.  His  heart 
was  near  breaking  with  the  sorrow  that  had  overtaken 
them,  but  he  was  determined  that  no  other  lives  should 
be  lost  if  his  efforts  could  save  them.  The  excavation 
was  soon  so  large  that  Phil  could  work  with  him,  but 
with  all  their  furious  digging  they  secured  a  shelter 
from  the  pitiless  poorga  none  too  soon.  The  sledge 
was  already  buried  from  sight,  and  poor  little  Nel-te 
was  wellnigh  smothered  ere  they  lifted  him  from  it 
and  pulled  him  into  the  burrow. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
COASTING    FIVE    MILES   IN   FIVE    MINUTES 

IN  spite  of  their  faintness  and  weakness  from  hun 
ger  and  exhaustion,  Phil  and  Serge  were  so  stimulated 
by  the  emergency  that  within  half  an  hour  they  had 
dug  a  cavity  in  the  great  drift  sufficiently  large  to 
hold  the  three  dogs  as  well  as  themselves.  The  exca 
vation  was  driven  straight  for  a  few  feet,  and  then 
turned  to  one  side,  where  it  was  so  enlarged  that  they 
could  either  lie  down  or  sit  up.  Into  this  diminutive 
chamber  they  dragged  their  robes  and  sleeping-bags. 
The  shivering  dogs  crept  in  and  curled  up  at  their 
feet.  The  sledge  was  left  outside,  and  the  opening 
was  closed  as  well  as  might  be  by  the  slab  of  com 
pacted  snow  that  had  been  cut  from  it. 

Poor  little  Nel-te,  who  was  numbed  and  whimper 
ing  with  cold  and  hunger,  was  rubbed  into  a  glow, 
comforted,  and  petted,  until  at  length  he  fell  asleep, 
nestled  between  the  lads,  and  then  they  found  time  to 
talk  over  their  situation.  For  a  while  they  had  no 
thought  save  for  the  dear  friend  and  trusty  comrade 
who,  alive  or  dead,  was  still  out  in  that  terrible  storm, 
and,  as  they  believed,  lost  to  them  forever. 

"I  don't  suppose  there  is  the  faintest  hope  of  ever 
seeing  him  again,"  said  Phil.  "If  he  went  over  the 
precipice  he  must  have  been  killed,  and  is  buried  deep 
in  the  snow  by  this  time.  Even  if  he  did  not,  and  is 
still  wandering  somewhere  in  this  vicinity,  he  must 
perish  before  morning.  Oh,  Serge,  can't  we  do  any- 


224  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

thing  for  him  ?  It  makes  me  feel  like  a  cowardly  trai 
tor  to  be  sitting  here  in  comfort  while  the  dear  old 
chap  may  be  close  at  hand,  and  perishing  for  want  of 
our  help.  And  it  is  my  fault,  too !  The  fault  of  my 
inexcusable  carelessness.  It  seems,  old  man,  as  if  I 
should  go  crazy  with  thinking  of  it." 

"  But  you  mustn't  think  of  it  in  that  way,  Phil,"  an 
swered  Serge,  soothingly.  "  As  leader  of  the  party  it 
was  your  duty  to  go  ahead  and  pick  out  the  road,  while 
it  was  ours  to  keep  you  in  sight.  If  either  of  us  is  to 
blame  for  what  has  happened,  I  am  the  one.  I  should 
have  looked  back  oftener,  and  made  sure  that  he  was 
still  close  behind  me.  Now  there  is  nothing  we  can 
do  except  wait  for  daylight  and  the  end  of  the  storm. 
We  have  our  parents,  this  child,  and  ourselves  to  think 
of  first.  Nor  could  we  accomplish  anything  even  if 
we  tried.  The  storm  has  doubled  in  fury  since  we 
halted.  A  foot  of  snow  must  already  have  fallen,  and 
to  venture  a  single  rod  outside  of  this  place  would 
serve  to  lose  us  as  certainly  as  though  we  went  a  mile. 
We  mustn't  give  up  all  hope,  though.  Mr.  Coombs  is 
very  strong,  and  well  used  to  exposure.  Of  course,  if 
he  has  gone  over  the  precipice  there  is  little  chance 
that  we  shall  ever  see  him  again  ;  but  if  he  escaped  it, 
and  has  made  a  burrow  for  himself  like  this  one,  he  will 
pull  through  all  right,  and  we  shall  find  him  in  the 
morning." 

"Why  haven't  we  dug  places  like  this  before?" 
asked  Phil.  "It  is  actually  getting  warm  and  com 
fortable  in  here.  We  might  have  had  just  such  a 
warm  cave  every  night  that  we  have  been  in  the  moun 
tains  and  spent  so  miserably." 

"  Of  course  we  might,"  agreed  Serge,  "  and  we  would 
have  had  but  for  my  stupidity  in  not  thinking  of  it 
sooner.  While  I  never  took  refuge  in  one  before,  I 
have  often  heard  of  them,  and  ought  to  have  remem- 


COASTING    FIVE   MILES   IN    FIVE   MINUTES          225 

bered.  I  didn't,  though,  until  this  storm  struck  us, 
and  I  knew  that  without  shelter  we  must  certainly 
perish." 

"If  you  hadn't  thought  of  a  snow -burrow,"  said 
Phil,  "  it  is  certain  I  never  should.  It  is  snug,  though, 
and  if  only  poor  Jalap  were  with  us,  and  we  had  food 
and  a  light  of  some  kind,  I  wouldn't  ask  for  a  better 
shelter.  I  can  understand  now  how  an  Eskimo  stone 
lamp,  with  seal-oil  for  fuel  and  a  wick  of  moss,  can  give 
out  all  the  heat  that  is  needed  in  one  of  their  snow- 
huts,  and  I  only  wish  we  had  brought  one  with  us." 

After  this  the  boys  grew  drowsy,  their  conversation 
slackened,  and  soon  all  their  troubles  were  forgotten 
in  sleep.  Outside,  through  the  long  hours,  the  gale 
roared  and  shrieked  with  impotent  rage  at  their  escape 
from  its  clutches.  It  hurled  its  snow  legions  against 
their  place  of  refuge  until  it  was  deep  buried,  and  then 
in  a  frenzy  tore  away  and  scattered  the  drifted  accu 
mulation,  until  it  could  once  more  beat  directly  upon 
their  slender  wall  of  defence.  But  its  wiles  and  its 
furious  attacks  were  alike  in  vain,  and  at  length  its 
fierce  ravings  sank  into  whispers.  The  poorga  spent 
its  force  with  the  darkness,  and  at  daylight  had  swept 
on  to  inland  fields,  leaving  only  an  added  burden  of 
a  million  tons  of  snow  to  mark  its  passage  across  the 
mountains. 

When  the  boys  awoke  a  soft  white  light  was  filter 
ing  through  one  side  of  their  spotless  chamber,  and 
they  knew  that  day  had  come.  They  expected  to  dig 
their  way  to  the  outer  air  through  a  great  mass  of 
snow,  and  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  only  a 
small  drift  against  the  doorway.  As  they  emerged 
from  it  they  were  for  a  few  minutes  blinded  by  the 
marvellous  brilliancy  of  their  sunlit  surroundings. 
Gradually  becoming  accustomed  to  the  intense  light, 

they  gazed  eagerly  about  for  some  sign  of  their  miss 
is 


226  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

ing  comrade,  but  there  was  none.  They  followed 
back  for  a  mile  over  the  way  they  had  come  the  even 
ing  before,  shouting  and  firing  their  guns,  but  without 
avail. 

No  answering  shout  came  back  to  their  straining 
ears,  and  there  was  nothing  to  indicate  the  fate  of  the 
lost  man.  Sadly  and  soberly  the  lads  retraced  their 
steps,  and  prepared  to  resume  their  journey.  To  re 
main  longer  in  that  place  meant  starvation  and  death. 
To  save  themselves  they  must  push  on. 

They  shuddered  at  the  precipice  they  had  escaped, 
and  over  which  they  feared  their  comrade  had  plunged. 
At  its  foot  lay  a  valley,  which,  though  it  trended 
westward,  and  so  away  from  their  course,  Phil  de 
termined  to  follow ;  for,  far  below  their  lofty  perch, 
and.  still  miles  away  from  where  they  stood,  it  held 
the  dark  mass  he  had  seen  the  night  before,  and  knew 
to  be  timber.  Besides,  his  sole  desire  at  that  moment 
was  to  escape  from  those  awful  heights  and  reach 
the  coast  at  some  point ;  he  hardly  cared  whether  it 
were  inhabited  or  not. 

So  the  sledge  was  dug  from  its  bed  of  snow,  reload 
ed,  and  the  dogs  were  harnessed.  Poor  little  Nel-te, 
crying  with  hunger,  was  slipped  into  his  fur  travelling- 
bag,  and  a  start  was  made  to  search  for  some  point  of 
descent.  At  length  they  found  a  place  where  the 
slope  reached  to  the  very  top  of  the  cliff,  but  so 
sharply  that  it  was  like  the  steep  roof  of  a  house 
several  miles  in  length. 

"  I  hate  the  looks  of  it,"  said  Phil,  "  but  as  there 
doesn't  seem  to  be  any  other  way,  I  suppose  we've  got 
to  try  it.  I  should  say  that  for  at  least  three  miles  it 
is  as  steep  as  the  steepest  part  of  a  toboggan-slide, 
though,  and  I'm  pretty  certain  we  sha'n't  care  to  try 
it  more  than  once." 

"  I  guess  we  can  do  it  all  right,"  replied  Serge, 


COASTINQ    FIVE   MILES    IN   FIVE   MINUTES          227 

"but  there's  only  one  way,  and  that  is  to  sit  on  a  snow- 
shoe  and  slide.  We  couldn't  keep  on  our  feet  a  single 
second." 

They  lifted  Nel-te,  fur  bag  and  all,  from  the  sledge, 
tightened  the  lashings  of  its  load,  which  included  the 
guns  and  extra  snow-shoes,  and  started  it  over  the 
verge.  It  flashed  down  the  declivity  like  a  rocket,  and 
the  last  they  saw  of  it  it  was  rolling  over  and  over. 

"Looks  cheerful,  doesn't  it?"  said  Phil,  grimly. 
"  Now  I'll  go  ;  then  do  you  start  the  dogs  down,  and 
come  yourself  as  quick  as  you  please." 

Thus  saying,  the  plucky  lad  seated  himself  on  a 
snow-shoe,  took  Nel-te,  still  in  the  fur  bag,  in  his  lap, 
and  launched  himself  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff.  For  a 
moment  the  sensation,  which  was  that  of  falling  from 
a  great  height,  was  sickening,  and  a  thick  mist  seemed 
to  obscure  his  vision.  Then  it  cleared  away,  and  was 
followed  by  a  feeling  of  the  wildest  exhilaration  as  he 
heard  the  whistling  backward  rush  of  air,  and  realized 
the  tremendous  speed  at  which  he  was  whizzing  through 
space.  Ere  it  seemed  possible  that  he  could  have 
gone  half-way  to  the  timber-line,  trees  began  to  fly 
past  him,  and  he  knew  that  the  worst  was  over.  In 
another  minute  he  was  floundering  in  a  drift  of  soft 
snow,  into  which  he  had  plunged  up  to  his  neck,  and 
the  perilous  feat  was  accomplished. 

Poor  Serge  arrived  at  the  same  point  shortly  after 
wards,  head  first,  and  dove  out  of  sight  in  the  drift ; 
but  fortunately  Phil  was  in  a  position  to  extricate  him 
before  he  smothered.  The  dogs  appeared  a  moment 
later,  with  somewhat  less  velocity,  but  badly  demoral 
ized,  and  evidently  feeling  that  they  had  been  sadly 
ill-treated.  So  the  sledge  party  had  safely  descended 
in  five  minutes  a  distance  equal  to  that  which  they 
had  spent  half  a  day  and  infinite  toil  in  ascending  on 
the  other  side  of  the  mountains. 


228  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

When  Nel-te  was  released  from  the  fur  bag  and  set 
on  his  feet  he  was  as  calm  and  self-possessed  as  though 
nothing  out  of  the  usual  had  happened,  and  immedi 
ately  demanded  something  to  eat. 

After  a  long  search  they  discovered  the  sledge,  with 
only  one  rail  broken  and  its  load  intact. 

"  Now  for  a  fire  and  breakfast !"  cried  Phil,  head 
ing  towards  the  timber  as  soon  as  the  original  order 
of  things  was  restored.  "  After  that  we  will  make  one 
more  effort  to  find  some  trace  of  poor  Jalap,  though 
I  don't  believe  there  is  the  slightest  chance  of  suc 
cess." 

They  entered  the  forest  of  wide  -  spreading  but 
stunted  evergreens,  and  Phil,  axe  in  hand,  was  vigor 
ously  attacking  a  dead  spruce,  when  an  exclamation 
from  his  companion  caused  him  to  pause  in  his  labor 
and  look  around. 

"  What  can  that  be  ?"  asked  Serge,  pointing  to  a 
thick  hemlock  that  stood  but  a  few  yards  from  them. 
The  lower  ends  of  its  drooping  branches  were  deep 
buried  in  snow,  but  such  part  as  was  still  visible  was 
in  a  strange  state  of  agitation. 

"  It  must  be  a  bear,"  replied  Phil,  dropping  his  axe 
and  springing  to  the  sledge  for  his  rifle.  "  His  winter 
den  is  in  there,  and  we  have  disturbed  him.  Get  out 
your  gun — quick !  We  can't  afford  to  lose  him.  Meat's 
too  scarce  in  camp  just  now." 

Even  as  he  spoke,  and  before  the  guns  could  be 
taken  from  their  moose-skin  cases,  the  motion  of  the 
branches  increased,  there  came  a  violent  upheaval  of 
the  snow  that  weighted  them  down,  and  the  boys 
caught  a  glimpse  of  some  huge  shaggy  animal  issuing 
from  the  powdered  whiteness. 

"  Hurry  !"  cried  Phil.  "  No,  look  out !  We're  too 
late!  What?  Great  Scott !  It  can't  be!  Yes,  it  is! 
Hurrah  !  Glory,  hallelujah  !  I  knew  he'd  pull  through 


COASTING   FIVE   MILES   IN    FIVE    MINUTES          229 

all  right,  and  I  believe  I'm  the  very  happiest  fellow  in 
all  the  world  at  this  minute." 

"Mebbe  you  be,  son,"  remarked  Jalap  Coombs, 
"  and  then  again  mebbe  there's  others  as  is  equally 
joyful.  As  my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  say, 
'A  receiver's  as  good  as  a  thief,'  and  I  sartainly  re 
ceived  a  heap  of  pleasure  through  hearing  you  holler 
jest  now." 


CHAPTER    XXXV 
HOW   JALAP    COOMBS    MADE    PORT 

THE  things  on  which  we  are  apt  to  set  the  highest 
value  in  this  world  are  those  that  we  have  lost,  and 
even  our  friends  are  as  a  rule  most  highly  appreciated 
after  they  have  been  taken  from  us.  Thus,  in  the  pres 
ent  instance,  Phil  and  Serge  had  so  sincerely  mourned 
the  loss  of  their  quaint  but  loyal  comrade  that  his  res 
toration  to  them  alive  and  well,  "  hearty  and  hungry," 
as  he  himself  expressed  it,  filled  them  with  unbounded 
joy.  They  hung  about  him,  and  lovingly  brushed  the 
snow  from  his  fur  clothing,  and  plied  him  with  ques 
tions,  and  made  so  much  of  him  that  he  finally  ex 
claimed  : 

"  Avast,  lads,  and  let  up  !  Ye  make  me  feel  like  I 
were  reading  my  own  obituary  in  print,  which  my  old 
friend  Kite  Roberson  were  the  only  mortal  man  ever  I 
knowed  as  had  that  onhappy  pleasure.  It  happened 
when  he  were  lost  at  sea,  with  his  ship  and  all  hands, 
in  latitood  24.06  nothe,  and  longitood  140.15  west, 
'cording  to  the  noosepapers  ;  while,  'cording  to  Kite's 
log,  he  were  cutting  in  of  a  fin-back  and  having  the 
best  of  luck  at  that  very  place  and  hour.  Anyway, 
whether  he  were  drownded  or  no,  he  kirn  back  in  time 
to  enjoy  the  mortification  of  reading  the  notice  of  his 
own  taking  off,  which  he  said  it  made  him  feel  ashamed 
to  be  alive,  seeing  as  he  were  a  so  much  better  man 
after  he  were  dead.  Them's  about  the  size  of  my  feel 
ings  at  the  present  hour  of  observation.  So  ef  you 


HOW   JALAP   COOMBS   MADE   PORT  231 

boys  don't  let  up  I  reckon  I'll  have  to  crawl  back  in 
the  snow  and  stay  there." 

Even  Nel-te  showed  delight  at  the  return  of  his 
playmate  by  cuddling  up  to  him,  and  stroking  his 
weather-beaten  cheeks,  and  confiding  to  him  how  very 
hungry  he  was. 

"  Me,  too,  Cap'n  Kid  !"  exclaimed  Jalap  Coombs  ; 
"  and  I  must  say  you're  a  mighty  tempting  mossel  to 
a  man  as  nigh  starved  as  I  be.  Jest  about  broiling  age, 
plump  and  tender.  Cap'n  Kid,  look  out,  for  I'm  mighty 
inclined  to  stow  ye  away." 

"Try  this  instead,"  laughed  Phil,  holding  out  a 
chunk  of  frozen  pemmican  that  he  had  just  chopped 
off.  "  We're  in  the  biggest  kind  of  luck  to-day,"  he 
continued.  "I  didn't  know  there  was  a  mouthful  of 
anything  to  eat  on  this  sledge,  and  here  I've  just  found 
about  five  pounds  of  pemmican.  It  does  seem  to  me  the 
very  best  pemmican  that  ever  was  put  up,  too,  and  I 
only  wonder  that  we  didn't  eat  it  long  ago.  I'm  going 
to  get  my  aunt  Ruth  to  make  me  a  lot  of  it  just  as 
soon  as  ever  I  get  home." 

By  this  time  the  fire  was  blazing  merrily,  and  the 
chynik  was  beginning  to  sing.  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and 
big  Amook  had  each  received  a  portion  of  the  pre 
cious  pemmican,  swallowed  it  at  a  gulp,  and  were 
wagging  their  bushy  tails  in  anxious  expectation  of 
more,  while  the  spirits  of  the  whole  party  were  at  the 
top-notch  of  contentment. 

As  they  sat  before  the  fire  on  a  tree  felled  and 
stripped  of  its  branches  for  the  purpose,  and  munched 
frozen  pemmican,  and  took  turns  in  sipping  strong  un 
sweetened  tea  from  the  only  cup  now  left  to  them, 
Jalap  Coombs  described  his  thrilling  experiences  of 
the  preceding  night. 

According  to  his  story,  one  of  his  dogs  gave  out,  and 
he  stopped  to  unharness  it  with  the  hope  that  it  would 


232  SNOW-SHOES  AND   SLEDGES 

still  have  strength  to  follow  the  sledge.  While  he 
was  thus  engaged  the  storm  broke,  the  blinding  rush 
of  snow  swept  over  the  mountains,  and  as  he  looked 
up  he  found  to  his  dismay  that  the  other  sledge  was 
already  lost  to  view.  He  at  once  started  to  overtake 
it,  urging  on  the  reluctant  dogs  by  every  means  in  his 
power;  but  after  a  few  minutes  of  struggle  against 
the  furious  gale,  they  lay  down  and  refused  to  move. 
After  cutting  their  traces  that  they  might  follow  him 
if  they  chose,  the  man  set  forth  alone,  with  bowed  head 
and  uncertain  steps,  on  a  hopeless  quest  for  his  com 
rades.  He  did  not  find  them,  as  we  know,  though  once 
he  heard  a  faint  cry  from  off  to  one  side.  Heading  in 
that  direction,  the  next  thing  he  knew  he  had  plunged 
over  the  precipice,  and  found  himself  sliding,  rolling, 
and  bounding  downward  with  incredible  velocity. 

"  The  trip  must  have  lasted  an  hour  or  more,"  said 
Jalap  Coombs,  soberly,  in  describing  it,  "  and  when  I 
finally  brung  up  all  standing,  I  couldn't  make  out  for 
quite  a  spell  whether  I  were  still  on  top  of  the  earth 
or  had  gone  plumb  through  to  the  other  side.  I 
knowed  every  rib  and  timber  of  my  framing  were 
broke,  and  every  plank  started  ;  but  somehow  I  man 
aged  to  keep  my  head  above  water,  and  struck  out  for 
shore.  I  made  port  under  a  tree,  and  went  to  sleep. 
When  I  woke  at  the  end  of  the  watch,  I  found  all 
hatches  closed  and  battened  down.  So  I  were  jest 
turning  over  again  when  I  heerd  a  hail,  and  knowed  I 
were  wanted  on  deck.  And,  boys,  I've  had  happy  mo 
ments  in  my  life,  but  I  reckon  the  happiest  of  'em  all 
were  when  I  broke  out  and  seen  you  two,  with  the  kid, 
standing  quiet  and  respectful,  and  heerd  ye  saying, 
*  Good  morning,  sir,  and  hoping  you've  passed  a  quiet 
night,'  like  I  were  a  full-rigged  cap'n." 

"  As  you  certainly  deserve  to  be,  Mr.  Coombs," 
laughed  Phil,  "  and  as  I  believe  you  will  be  before 


HOW   JALAP    COOMBS    MADE    TORT  233 

long,  for  I  don't  think  we  can  be  very  far  from  salt 
water  at  this  moment." 

"It's  been  seeming  to  me  that  I  could  smell  it!"  ex 
claimed  the  sailor-man,  eagerly  sniffing  the  air  as  he 
spoke.  "And,  ef  you're  agreeable,  sir,  I  moves  that 
we  set  sail  for  it  at  once.  My  hull's  pretty  well  bat 
tered  and  stove  in,  but  top  works  is  solid,  standing 
and  running  rigging  all  right,  and  I  reckon  by  steady 
pumping  we  can  navigate  the  old  craft  to  port  yet." 

"  All  aboard,  then !  Up  anchor,  and  let's  be  off !" 
shouted  Phil,  so  excited  at  the  prospect  of  a  speedy 
termination  to  their  journey  that  he  could  not  bear  a 
moment's  longer  delay  in  attaining  it.  At  present  he 
cared  little  that  they  had  evidently  wandered  far  from 
the  Chilkat  trail,  as  was  shown  by  the  westward  trend 
of  the  valley  in  which  they  now  found  themselves. 
That  it  still  descended  sharply,  and  by  following  it 
they  must  eventually  reach  the  ocean,  was  enough. 

So  they  set  merrily  and  hopefully  forth,  and  fol 
lowed  the  windings  of  the  valley,  keeping  just  beyond 
the  forest  edge.  In  summer-time  they  would  have  found 
it  filled  with  impassable  obstacles — huge  bowlders,  land 
slides,  a  net-work  of  logs  and  fallen  trees,  and  a  roaring 
torrent ;  but  now  it  was  packed  with  snow  to  such  an 
incredible  depth  that  all  these  things  lay  far  beneath 
their  feet,  and  the  way  was  made  easy. 

By  nightfall  they  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
valley,  and  saw,  opening  before  them,  one  so  much 
wider  that  it  reminded  them  of  the  broad  expanse  of 
the  frozen  Yukon.  The  course  of  this  new  valley  was 
almost  north  and  south,  and  they  felt  certain  that  it 
must  lead  to  the  sea.  In  spite  of  their  anxiety  to  fol 
low  it,  darkness  compelled  them  to  seek  a  camping- 
place  in  the  timber.  That  evening  they  ate  all  that 
remained  of  their  pemmican,  excepting  a  small  bit 
that  was  reserved  for  Nel-te's  breakfast. 


234  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

They  made  up,  as  far  as  possible,  for  their  lack  of 
food  by  building  the  most  gorgeous  camp-fire  of  the 
entire  journey.  They  felled  several  green  trees  close 
together,  and  built  it  on  them  so  that  it  should  not 
melt  its  way  down  out  of  sight  through  the  deep 
snow.  Then  they  felled  dead  trees  and  cut  them  into 
logs.  These,  together  with  dead  branches,  they  piled 
up,  until  they  had  a  structure  forty  feet  long  by  ten 
feet  high.  They  set  fire  to  it  with  the  last  match  in 
their  possession,  and  as  the  flames  gathered  headway 
and  roared  and  leaped  to  the  very  tops  of  the  sur 
rounding  trees,  even  Phil  was  obliged  to  acknowledge 
that  at  last  he  was  thoroughly  and  uncomfortably 
warm.  The  contrast  between  that  night  and  the  pre 
vious  one,  passed  in  a  snow  burrow  high  up  on  the 
mountains,  amid  the  howlings  of  a  furious  gale,  with 
out  food,  fire,  or  hope,  was  so  wonderful  that  all  de 
clared  they  had  lived  months  since  that  dreadful  time 
instead  of  only  a  few  hours. 

The  following  morning  poor  Jalap  was  so  stiff  and 
lame  that  his  face  was  contorted  with  pain  when  he  at 
tempted  to  rise. 

"Never  mind,"  he  cried,  cheerily,  as  he  noted  Phil's 
anxious  expression,  "  I'll  fetch  it.  Just  give  me  a  few 
minutes'  leeway." 

And,  sure  enough,  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  on  his 
feet  rubbing  his  legs,  stretching  his  arms,  and  twisting 
his  body  "to  limber  up  the  j'ints."  Although  in  a 
torment  of  pain,  he  soon  declared  himself  ready  for 
the  day's  tramp,  and  they  set  forth.  Ere  they  had 
gone  half  a  mile,  however,  it  was  evident  that  he  could 
walk  no  farther.  The  pain  of  the  effort  was  too  great 
even  for  his  sturdy  determination,  and  when  he  finally 
sank  down  with  a  groan,  the  boys  helped  him  on  the 
sledge,  and  attached  themselves  to  its  pulling-bar  with 
long  thongs  of  rawhide. 


HOW   JALAP    COOMBS    MADE    POUT  235 

The  two  stalwart  young  fellows,  together  with  three 
dogs,  made  a  strong  team,  but  the  snow  was  so  soft, 
and  their  load  so  heavy,  that  by  noon  they  had  not 
made  more  than  ten  miles.  They  had,  however,  reached 
the  end  of  their  second  valley,  and  come  upon  a  most 
extraordinary  scene.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  on 
either  side  stretched  a  vast  plain  of  frozen  whiteness. 
On  its  farther  border,  directly  in  front  of  them,  but 
some  ten  miles  away,  rose  a  chain  of  mountains  bisect 
ed  by  a  deep,  wide  cut  like  a  gateway. 

"  It  must  be  an  arm  of  the  sea,  frozen  over  and  cov 
ered  with  snow,"  said  Phil. 

"  But,"  objected  Serge,  "  on  this  coast  no  such  body 
of  salt  water  stays  frozen  so  late  in  the  season;  for  we 
are  well  into  April  now,  you  know." 

"  Then  it  is  a  great  lake." 

"  I  never  heard  of  any  lake  on  this  side  of  the  moun 
tains." 

"  I  don't  reckon  it's  the  sea;  but  salt  water's  mighty 
nigh,"  said  Jalap  Coombs,  sniffing  the  air  as  eagerly  as 
a  hound  on  the  scent  of  game. 

"  Whatever  it  is,"  said  Phil,  "  we've  got  to  cross  it, 
and  I  am  going  to  head  straight  for  that  opening." 

So  they  again  bent  to  their  traces,  and  a  few  hours 
later  had  crossed  the  great  white  plain,  and  were  skirt 
ing  the  base  of  a  mountain  that  rose  on  their  left.  Its 
splintered  crags  showed  the  dull  red  of  iron  rust  wher 
ever  they  were  bare  of  snow,  and  only  thin  fringes  of 
snow  were  to  be  seen  in  its  more  sheltered  gorges. 

Suddenly  Phil  halted,  his  face  paled,  and  his  lips 
quivered  with  emotion.  "  The  sea  !"  he  gasped.  "  Over 
there,  Serge  !" 

Jalap  Coombs  caught  the  words  and  was  on  his  feet 
in  an  instant,  all  his  pains  forgotten  in  a  desire  to  once 
more  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  beloved  salt  water. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Serge,  after  a  long  look.     "  It  cer- 


236  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

tainly  is  a  narrow  bay.  How  I  wish  we  knew  what 
one  !  But,  Phil !  what  is  that  down  there  near  the 
foot  of  the  cliffs  ?  Is  it — can  it  be — a  house  ?" 

"  Where  ?"  cried  Phil.     "  Yes,  I  see  !     I  do  believe 
it  is  !     Yes,  it  certainly  is  a  house." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
THE    MOST   FAMOUS   ALASKAN    GLACIER 

THAT  little  house  nestling  at  the  base  of  a  precipi 
tous  mountain,  and  still  nearly  a  mile  away,  was  just 
then  a  more  fascinating  sight  to  our  half-starved,  toil- 
worn  travellers  than  even  the  sea  itself,  and,  filled  with 
a  hopeful  excitement,  they  hastened  towards  it.  The 
way  led  down  a  steep  incline,  and  along  a  shallow,  tree 
less  valley,  shut  off  from  the  water  on  their  right  by  a 
ridge  a  hundred  feet  or  so  in  height.  From  this  de 
pression  the  house  was  hidden  until  they  were  directly 
upon  it ;  but  the  knowledge  that  it  was  there  filled 
them  with  cheerful  anticipations  of  food,  warmth,  rest, 
and  a  hearty  welcome  from  people  of  their  own  race. 
It  was  probably  a  salmon  cannery  or  saltery,  or  a 
trading-post.  At  any  rate,  the  one  house  they  had  dis 
covered  was  that  of  a  white  man ;  for  it  had  a  chimney, 
and  none  of  the  Tlingits  or  natives  of  southern  Alaska 
build  chimneys. 

While  Phil  and  Jalap  Coombs  were  full  of  confi 
dence  that  a  few  minutes  more  would  find  them  in  a  set 
tlement  of  white  men,  Serge  was  greatly  puzzled,  and, 
though  he  said  little,  kept  up  a  deal  of  thinking  as  he 
tugged  at  the  rawhide  sledge-trace.  He  felt  that  he 
ought  to  know  the  place,  for  he  did  not  believe  they 
were  more  than  one  hundred  miles  from  Sitka;  but  he 
could  not  remember  having  heard  of  any  white  settle 
ment  on  that  part  of  the  coast,  except  at  the  Chilkat 


238  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

cannery,  and  this  place  did  not  correspond  in  any  par 
ticular  with  what  he  had  heard  of  that. 

At  length  they  rounded  the  last  low  spur  of  the 
ridge,  and  came  upon  the  house  only  a  few  rods  away. 
For  a  few  moments  they  stood  motionless,  regarding  it 
in  silence,  and  with  a  bitter  disappointment.  It  was 
roughly  but  substantially  constructed  of  sawed  lum 
ber,  had  a  shingled  roof,  two  glass  windows,  a  heavy 
door,  and  a  great  outside  chimney  of  rough  stone.  But 
it  was  closed  and  deserted.  No  hospitable  smoke  curled 
from  its  chimney,  there  was  no  voice  of  welcome  nor 
sign  of  human  presence.  Nor  was  there  another  build 
ing  of  any  kind  in  sight.  The  little  cabin  in  the  now 
distant  wilderness  from  which  Phil  had  taken  Nel-te 
had  not  been  more  lonely  than  this  one. 

"  I  suppose  we  may  as  well  keep  on  and  examine  the 
interior  now  that  we've  come  so  far,"  said  Phil,  in 
a  disgusted  tone  that  readily  betrayed  his  feelings. 
"  There  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  one  around  to  prevent 
us.  I  only  wish  there  was." 

So  they  pushed  open  the  door,  which  was  fastened 
but  not  locked,  and  stepped  inside.  The  cabin  con 
tained  but  a  single  large  room  furnished  with  several 
sleeping-bunks,  a  stout  table,  and  a  number  of  seats, 
all  home-made  from  unplaned  lumber.  Much  rubbish, 
including  empty  bottles  and  tin  cans,  was  scattered 
about ;  but  it  was  evident  that  everything  of  value 
had  been  removed  by  the  last  occupants.  The  chief 
feature  of  the  room  was  an  immense  and  rudely  artis 
tic  fireplace  at  its  farther  end.  Above  this  hung 
a  smooth  board  skilfully  decorated  with  charcoal 
sketches,  and  bearing  the  legend  "  Camp  Muir." 

As  Serge  caught  sight  of  this  he  uttered  an  exclama 
tion.  "  Now  I  know  where  we  are !"  he  cried.  "  Come 
with  me,  Phil,  and  I  will  show  you  one  of  the  grand 
sights  of  the  world." 


THE   MOST   FAMOUS   ALASKAN   GLACIER  239 

With  this  he  dashed  out  of  the  door,  and  ran 
towards  the  beach  ridge  behind  which  the  cabin  stood. 
Phil  followed,  wondering  curiously  what  his  friend 
could  mean.  As  they  reached  the  low  crest  of  the 
ridge  he  understood  ;  for  outspread  before  him,  bathed 
in  a  rosy  light  by  the  setting  sun,  was  a  spectacle  that 
tourists  travel  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  gaze  upon. 

A  precipitous  line  of  ice-cliffs  of  marble  whiteness 
or  heavenly  blue,  two  miles  long  and  hundreds  of  feet 
in  height,  carved  into  spires,  pinnacles,  minarets,  and 
a  thousand  other  fantastic  shapes,  rose  in  frozen 
majesty  at  the  head  of  a  little  bay  whose  waters 
washed  the  beach  at  their  feet.  Ere  either  of  the 
boys  could  find  words  to  express  his  delight  and 
wonder,  a  huge  mass  of  the  lofty  wall  broke  away  and 
plunged  into  the  sea,  with  a  thunderous  roar  that 
echoed  and  re-echoed  from  the  enclosing  mountains. 
For  a  moment  it  disappeared  in  a  milky  cloud  of 
foam  and  spray.  Then  it  shot  up  from  the  depths 
like  some  stupendous  submarine  monster,  and,  with  tor 
rents  of  water  streaming  from  it  in  glittering  cascades, 
floated  on  the  heaving  surface  a  new-born  iceberg. 

"  It  must  be  a  glacier,"  said  Phil,  in  an  awe-stricken 
tone. 

"  It  is  a  glacier,"  answered  Serge,  triumphantly,  "  and 
one  of  the  most  famous  in  the  world,  for  it  is  the  MUIR, 
which  is  larger  and  contains  more  ice  than  all  the 
eleven  hundred  glaciers  of  Switzerland  put  together. 
That  cabin  is  the  one  occupied  by  John  Muir  and  his 
companions  when  they  explored  it  in  1890.  To  think 
that  we  should  have  come  down  one  of  its  branches, 
and  even  crossed  the  great  glacier  itself,  without 
knowing  what  it  was  !  I  believe  we  would  have  known 
it,  though,  if  the  snow  hadn't  been  so  deep  as  to  alter 
the  whole  character  of  its  surface." 

"  If  this  is  the  Muir  Glacier,"  reflected  Phil,  "  I 


240  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

don't  see  but  what  we  are  in  a  box.  We  must  be  to 
the  westward  of  Chilkat." 

"  Yes,"  said  Serge.  "  It  lies  to  the  eastward  of  those 
mountains." 

"  Which  don't  look  as  though  they  would  be  very 
easy  even  for  us  to  climb,  while  I  know  we  couldn't 
get  Jalap  and  Nel-te  over  them.  I  don't  suppose  any 
tourist  steamers  will  be  visiting  this  place  for  some 
time,  either." 

"  Not  for  two  months  at  least,"  replied  Serge. 

"  Which  is  longer  than  we  can  afford  to  wait  with 
out  provisions  or  supplies  of  any  kind.  So  we  shall 
have  to  get  away,  somehow,  and  pretty  quickly  too. 
It  doesn't  look  as  though  we  could  follow  the  coast 
any  farther,  though ;  for  just  below  here  the  cliffs 
seem  to  rise  sheer  from  the  water." 

"  No,"  said  Serge,  "  we  can't.  We  can  only  get  out 
by  boat  or  by  scaling  the  mountains." 

"In  which  case  we  shall  starve  to  death  before  we 
have  a  chance  to  do  either,"  retorted  Phil,  gloomily, 
"for  we  are  pretty  nearly  starved  now.  In  fact,  old 
man,  it  looks  as  though  the  good-fortune  that  has 
stood  by  us  during  the  whole  of  this  journey  had  de 
serted  us  at  its  very  end." 

By  this  time  the  boys  had  strolled  back  to  the 
cabin,  which  was  left  by  the  setting  sun  in  a  dark 
shadow.  As  they  turned  its  corner  they  came  upon 
Nel-te  standing  outside  clapping  his  chubby  hands, 
and  gazing  upward  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight.  Follow 
ing  the  child's  glance  Phil  uttered  a  startled  exclama 
tion,  and  sprang  through  the  doorway.  A  moment 
later  he  emerged,  rifle  in  hand. 

High  up  on  a  shoulder  of  the  mountain,  hundreds  of 
feet  above  the  cabin,  sharply  outlined  against  the  sky, 
and  bathed  in  the  full  glory  of  the  setting  sun,  a  moun 
tain  goat,  with  immensely  thick  hair  of  snowy  white, 


THE   MOST   FAMOUS   ALASKAN   GLACIER  241 

and  sharp  black  horns,  stood  as  motionless  as  though 
carved  from  marble.  Blinded  by  the  sunlight,  and 
believing  himself  to  be  surrounded  by  a  solitude  un- 
tenanted  by  enemies,  he  saw  not  the  quietly  moving 
figures  in  the  dim  shadows  beneath  him. 

Twice  did  Phil  raise  his  rifle  and  twice  did  he  lower 
it,  so  tremulous  was  he  with  excitement  and  a  knowl 
edge  that  four  human  lives  depended  on  the  result  of 
his  shot.  The  third  time  he  took  a  quick  aim  and 
fired.  As  the  report  echoed  sharply  from  the  beetling 
cliffs,  the  stricken  animal  gave  a  mighty  leap  straight 
out  into  space,  and  came  whirling  downward  like  a 
great  white  bird  with  broken  wings.  He  struck  twice, 
but  bounded  off  each  time,  and  finally  lay  motionless, 
buried  in  the  snow  at  the  very  foot  of  the  mountain 
that  had  been  his  home. 

"Hurrah !"  shouted  Phil.  "No  starvation  this  time ! 
Luck  is  still  with  us,  after  all.  That  is,  Nel-te  is  still 
with  us,  and  he  seems  to  carry  good  luck ;  for  we 
certainly  should  not  have  seen  that  fellow  but  for  the 
little  chap.  So,  hurrah,  old  man  !" 

But  Serge  needed  no  urging  this  time  to  shout  as 
loudly  as  Phil,  though  while  he  shouted  he  got  the 
sledge  ready  for  bringing  in  their  game. 

"  Seeing  as  how  we  hain't  got  no  fire  nor  no  matches, 
I  reckon  we'll  eat  our  meat  raw,  like  the  Huskies,"  said 
Jalap  Coombs,  dryly,  a  little  later,  as  they  began  to 
skin  and  cut  up  the  goat. 

"Whew!"  ejaculated  Phil.  "I  never  thought  of 
that.  But  I  know  how  to  make  a  fire  with  the  powder 
from  a  cartridge,  if  one  of  you  can  furnish  a  bit  of  cot 
ton  cloth." 

"  It  seems  a  pity  to  waste  a  cartridge,"  said  Serge, 
"  when  we  haven't  but  three  or  four  left,  and  a  single 
one  has  just  done  so  much  for  us.  I  think  I  can  get 
fire  in  a  much  more  economical  way." 

16 


242  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

"How?"  queried  Phil. 

"Ye  won't  find  no  brimstone  nor  yet  feathers  here," 
suggested  Jalap  Coombs,  with  a  shake  of  his  head. 

"Never  mind,"  laughed  Serge;  "you  two  keep  on 
cutting  up  the  goat,  and  by  the  time  your  job  is  com 
pleted  I  think  I  can  promise  that  mine  will  be."  So 
saying,  Serge  entered  the  cabin  and  closed  the  door. 

In  a  pile  of  rubbish  he  had  noticed  several  small 
pieces  of  wood  and  a  quantity  of  very  dry  botanical 
specimens,  some  of  which  bore  fluffy  seed-vessels  that 
could  be  used  as  tinder.  He  selected  a  bit  of  soft  pine, 
and  worked  a  small  hole  in  it  With  the  point  of  his 
knife.  Next  he  whittled  out  a  thick  pencil  of  the 
hardest  wood  he  could  find,  sharpened  one  end  and 
rounded  the  other.  In  a  block  of  hard  wood  he  dug 
a  cavity,  into  which  the  rounded  top  of  the  pencil 
would  fit.  He  found  a  section  of  barrel  hoop,  and 
strung  it  very  loosely  with  a  length  of  rawhide  from  a 
dog  harness,  so  as  to  make  a  small  bow.  Finally  he 
took  a  turn  of  the  bow-string  about  the  pencil,  fitted 
the  point  into  the  soft  pine  that  rested  on  the  floor,  and 
the  other  end  into  the  hard-wood  block,  on  which  he 
leaned  his  breast. 

With  one  hand  he  now  drew  the  bow  swiftly  to  and 
fro,  causing  the  pencil  to  revolve  with  great  rapidity, 
and  with  the  other  he  held  a  small  quantity  of  tinder 
close  to  its  point  of  contact  with  the  soft  pine.  The 
rapid  movement  of  the  pencil  produced  a  few  grains  of 
fine  sawdust,  and  this  shortly  began  to  smoke  with  the 
heat  of  friction.  In  less  than  one  minute  the  sawdust 
and  tinder  were  in  a  glow  that  a  breath  fanned  into  a 
flame,  and  there  was  no  longer  any  doubt  about  a  fire.* 

*This  is  the  Eskimo  method;  and  I  have  seen  a  Norton  Sound 
Eskimo  woman  obtain  fire  by  this  simple  means  inside  of  ten 
seconds. — K.  M. 


SERGE'S  METHOD  OK  LIGHTING  A   FIRE 


THE   MOST   FAMOUS   ALASKAN   GLAOIEK  243 

That  evening,  as  our  friends  sat  contentedly  in  front 
of  a  cheerful  blaze,  after  a  more  satisfactory  meal  than 
they  had  enjoyed  for  many  a  day,  Jalap  Coombs  re 
marked  that  he  only  wanted  one  more  thing  to  make 
him  perfectly  happy. 

"  Same  here,"  said  Phil.     "  What's  your  want  ?" 

"A  pipeful  of  tobacco,"  replied  the  sailor,  whose 
whole  smoking  outfit  had  been  lost  with  his  sledge. 

"  All  I  want,"  laughed  Phil,  "  is  to  know  how  and 
when  we  are  to  get  out  of  this  trap,  and  continue  our 
journey  to  Sitka.  I  hate  the  thought  of  spending  a 
couple  of  months  here,  even  if  there  are  plenty  of 
goats." 

"  I  can't  think  of  anything  else  we  can  do,"  said 
Serge,  thoughtfully. 

And  yet  those  who  were  to  rescue  them  from  their 
perplexing  situation  were  within  five  miles  of  them  at 
that  very  moment. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 
BIG   AMOOK    AND    THE    CHILKAT   HUNTERS 

"A  GOAT  is  a  good  thing  so  far  as  it  goes,"  re 
marked  Phil,  gravely,  "  but  one  goat  divided  among 
one  man,  two  boys,  a  little  chap,  and  three  awfully 
hungry  dogs  isn't  likely  to  last  very  long.  With 
plenty  of  goats  ready  to  come  and  be  killed  as  we 
wanted  them  we  might  hold  out  here,  after  a  fashion, 
until  the  arrival  of  a  tourist  steamer.  "Wouldn't  that 
be  fun,  though  ?  And  wouldn't  we  astonish  the  tour 
ists?  But  how  we  should  hate  goat  by  that  time! 
Still,  I  don't  think  there  is  the  slightest  chance  of  our 
having  that  experience,  for  I  understand  that  mountain 
goats  are  among  the  shyest  and  most  difficult  to  kill  of 
all  wild  animals." 

"That's  right,"  said  Serge,  "and  your  chance  for 
that  shot  was  one  of  the  luckiest  things  I  ever  heard 
of.  You  might  hunt  goats  for  years,  and  not  have  it 
happen  again." 

"  Which  being  the  case,"  continued  Phil,  "  it  won't 
do  for  us  to  live  as  though  we  had  goats  to  squander. 
Consequently,  we  must  make  an  effort  to  get  out  of 
here  before  our  provision  is  exhausted.  As  we  have 
no  boat  in  which  to  go  to  Sitka,  and  the  nearest  point 
at  which  we  can  obtain  one  is  Chilkat,  that  is  the  place 
we  have  got  to  reach  somehow.  So  I  propose  that 
Serge  and  I  take  a  prospecting  trip  into  the  mountains 
to-morrow,  and  see  what  chance  there  is  for  our  cross 
ing  them.  We  will  be  back  by  dark,  and,  with  the 


BIG   AMOOK   AND   THE   CHILKAT   HUNTERS         245 

knowledge  thus  gained,  perhaps  we  can  decide  to 
morrow  evening  what  is  best  to  be  done." 

As  no  better  plan  than  this  was  offered,  Phil  and 
Serge  started  early  the  following  morning  on  their 
tedious  climb.  Each  carried  a  gun,  and  they  took 
Musky  and  Luvtuk  with  them  in  the  hope  of  getting 
a  bear,  as  Serge  had  heard  that  bears  were  plentiful 
in  those  mountains.  Nel-te  was  left  to  take  care  of 
the  hospital,  in  which  Jalap  Coombs,  with  his  many 
aches,  and  Amook,  with  his  cut  feet,  were  the  pa 
tients. 

That  afternoon  was  so  warm  that  the  door  of  the 
little  cabin  stood  wide  open.  Before  a  fire  that  smoul 
dered  on  the  broad  hearth  Jalap  Coombs  dozed  in  a 
big  chair,  while  Nel-te  romped  with  Amook  on  the 
floor.  Now  the  little  chap  was  tantalizing  the  dog 
with  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  which,  still  attached  to  its 
buckskin  thong,  he  had  taken  from  his  neck.  He 
would  dangle  it  close  to  Amook's  nose,  and  when  the 
dog  snapped  at  it  snatch  it  away  with  a  shout  of 
laughter. 

While  the  occupants  of  the  cabin  were  thus  en 
gaged  the  heads  of  several  Indians  were  suddenly  but 
cautiously  lifted  above  the  beach  ridge.  After  mak 
ing  certain  that  no  one  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  house, 
one  of  their  number  swiftly  but  noiselessly  approached 
it.  Crouching  under  a  side  wall,  he  slowly  raised  his 
head.  A  single  glance  seemed  to  satisfy  him,  for  he 
immediately  began  to  retrace  his  steps  as  quietly  as  he 
had  come. 

This  Indian  was  one  of  a  party  of  Chilkat  hunters 
who  had  come  to  Glacier  Bay  in  pursuit  of  hair  seals, 
which  in  the  early  spring  delight  to  float  lazily  about 
on  the  drifting  ice-cakes.  They  had  camped  at  the 
mouth  of  Muir  Inlet  the  night  before,  and  during  the 
day  had  slowly  hunted  their  way  almost  to  the  foot  of 


246  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

the  great  glacier.  While  there  they  discovered  a  thin 
spiral  of  smoke  curling  from  the  cabin  chimney.  This 
so  aroused  their  curiosity  that  they  determined  to  in 
vestigate  its  cause.  They  imagined  that  some  of  the 
interior  Indians,  who  were  strictly  forbidden  by  the 
Chilkats  to  visit  the  coast,  had  disobeyed  orders,  and 
come  to  this  unfrequented  place  to  surreptitiously 
gather  in  a  few  seals.  In  that  case  the  hunters  would 
immediately  declare  war,  and  the  prospect  of  scalps 
caused  their  stolid  faces  to  light  and  their  dull  eyes  to 
glitter. 

When  it  was  discovered  that  a  white  man  was  in  the 
cabin,  the  Indians  were  greatly  disappointed,  but  con 
cluded  to  withdraw  without  allowing  him  to  suspect 
their  presence,  for  the  Chilkats  have  no  love  for  white 
men.  But  for  Nel-te  and  Amook  they  would  have 
succeeded  in  this,  and  our  travellers  would  never  have 
known  of  their  dusky  visitors,  or  the  chance  for  escape 
offered  by  their  canoes. 

If  the  fur-seal's  tooth  had  been  able  to  speak  just 
then  it  would  have  said,  "I  am  disgusted  with  the 
ways  of  white  people.  In  their  hands  I  am  treated 
with  no  respect.  They  lose  me  and  find  me  again  with 
indifference.  They  even  give  me  to  children  and  dogs 
as  a  plaything.  How  different  was  my  position  among 
the  noble  Chilkats  !  By  their  Shamans  and  chiefs  I 
was  venerated ;  by  the  common  people  I  was  feared ; 
while  all  recognized  my  extraordinary  powers.  To 
them  I  am  determined  to  return." 

With  this  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  which  was  at  that  mo 
ment  dangling  from  Nel-te's  hand,  gave  itself  such  a 
vigorous  forward  swing  that  Amook  was  able  to  seize 
the  buckskin  thong,  which  immediately  slipped  into  a 
secure  place  between  two  of  his  sharp  teeth.  As  Nel-te 
attempted  to  snatch  back  his  plaything,  the  dog  sprang 
up  and  darted  from  the  open  doorway. 


BIG   AMOOK  AND   THE   CHILKAT   HUNTEE8         247 

At  that  moment  the  Indian  who  had  inspected  the 
cabin  was  just  disappearing  over  the  beach  ridge.  At 
sight  of  him  Amook  uttered  a  yelp,  and  started  in  pur 
suit.  The  Indian  heard  him,  and  ran.  He  sprang  into 
the  canoe,  already  occupied  by  his  fellows,  and  shoved 
it  off  as  Amook,  barking  furiously,  gained  the  water's 
edge.  Lying  a  few  feet  away,  and  resting  on  their 
paddles,  the  Indians  taunted  him.  Suddenly  one  of 
their  number  called  attention  to  the  curious  white  ob 
ject  dangling  from  the  dog's  mouth.  They  gazed  at  it 
with  ever-increasing  excitement,  and  finally  one  of  them 
began  to  load  his  gun  with  the  intention  of  shooting 
the  dog,  and  so  securing  the  coveted  trophy  that  so 
miraculously  appeared  hanging  from  his  jaws.  Ere 
he  could  carry  out  his  cruel  intention  little  Nel-te  ap 
peared  over  the  ridge  in  hot  pursuit  of  his  playmate. 
"Without  paying  the  slightest  heed  to  the  Indians,  he 
ran  to  the  dog,  disengaged  the  buckskin  thong  from  his 
teeth,  slipped  it  over  his  own  head,  tucked  the  tooth 
carefully  inside  his  little  parka,  and  started  back  tow 
ards  the  cabin.  Amook  followed  him,  while  the  Indians 
regarded  the  whole  transaction  with  blank  amazement. 

Both  Nel-te  and  Amook  regained  the  cabin,  and 
were  engaged  in  another  romp  on  its  floor  before  Jalap 
Coombs  awoke  from  his  nap.  A  little  later,  when  he 
was  surprised  by  the  appearance  of  half  a  dozen  Ind 
ians  before  the  door,  he  thrust  the  child  and  dog  be 
hind  him,  and  standing  in  the  opening,  axe  in  hand, 
boldly  faced  the  new-comers.  In  vain  did  they  talk, 
shout,  point  to  Nel-te,  and  gesticulate.  The  only  idea 
they  conveyed  to  the  sailor-man  was  that  they  had 
come  to  carry  "  Cap'n  Kid  "  back  to  the  wilderness. 

"  Which  ye  sha'n't  have  him,  ye  bloody  pirates ! 
Not  so  long  as  old  Jalap  can  swing  an  axe !"  he  cried, 
at  length  wearied  of  their  vociferations  and  slamming 
the  door  in  their  faces. 


248  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

In  spite  of  this  the  Indians  were  so  determined  to 
attain  their  object  that  they  were  planning  for  an  at 
tack  on  the  cabin,  when  all  at  once  there  came  a  bark 
ing  of  other  dogs,  and,  looking  in  that  direction,  they 
saw  two  more  white  men,  armed  with  guns,  coming 
rapidly  towards  them. 

"  Hello  in  the  house  !  Are  you  safe  ?  What  is  the 
meaning  of  all  this  ?"  cried  Phil,  in  front  of  the  closed 
door. 

"Aye,  aye,  sir!"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  joy  fully,  fling 
ing  it  open.  "  We're  safe  enough  so  far  ;  but  them 
black  swabs  overhauled  us  awhile  ago,  and  gave  out  as 
how  they'd  got  to  have  Cap'n  Kid.  I  double-shotted 
the  guns,  stationed  the  crew  at  quarters,  and  returned 
reply  that  they  couldn't  have  him.  Then  they  run  up 
the  black  flag  and  allowed  they'd  blow  the  ship  out  of 
water.  With  that  I  declined  to  hold  further  commu 
nication,  cleared  for  action,  and  prepared  to  repel 
boarders." 

In  the  meantime  Serge  was  talking  to  the  natives  in 
Chinook  jargon.  Suddenly  he  exclaimed  : 

"They  are  Chilkats,  Phil,  and  they  want  something 
that  they  seem  to  think  is  in  Nel-te's  possession." 

"  In  Nel-te's  possession  ?"  repeated  Phil,  in  a  puz 
zled  tone.  "  What  can  they  mean  ?  I  don't  see  how 
they  can  know  anything  about  Nel-te,  anyway.  They 
can't  mean  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  can  they  ?" 

"  That  is  exactly  what  they  do  mean  !"  replied 
Serge,  after  asking  the  natives  a  few  more  questions. 
"  They  say  it  is  hanging  about  his  neck,  inside  of  his 
parka." 

"How  long  have  these  people  been  here,  Mr. 
Coombs?"  queried  Phil. 

"  Not  more  'n  ten  minutes." 

"  Have  they  seen  Nel-te  ?" 

"No,  for  he  hain't  been  outside  the  door." 


BIG   AMOOK   AND   THE   CHILKAT   HUNTERS          249 

"  Could  they  have  seen  him  at  any  time  during  the 
day?" 

"  Not  without  me  knowing  it ;  for  he  hain't  left  my 
side  sence  you  boys  went  away." 

"Then  it  is  more  certain  than  ever  that  there  is 
magic  connected  with  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  and  that  the 
Chilkats  are  in  some  way  involved  in  it.  How  else 
could  they  possibly  have  known  that  it  was  in  our  pos 
session,  just  where  to  find  us,  and>  above  all,  the  exact 
position  of  the  tooth  at  this  moment  ?" 

"  It  surely  does  look  redicerlous,"  meditated  Jalap 
Coombs ;  while  Serge  said  he  was  glad  Phil  was  be 
coming  so  reasonable  and  willing  to  see  things  in  a 
true  light. 

"  How  did  these  fellows  get  here  ?"  asked  Phil. 

"  They  say  they  came  in  canoes,"  replied  Serge. 

"Ask  them  if  they  will  take  us  to  Sitka,  provided 
we  will  give  them  the  fur-seal's  tooth  ?" 

"  No ;  the  Indians  could  not  do  that." 

"  Will  they  give  us  a  canoe  in  exchange  for  it  ?" 

"They  say  they  will,"  replied  Serge,  "if  we  will  go 
with  them  to  their  village  and  allow  their  Shaman 
(medicine-man)  to  examine  the  tooth,  and  see  whether 
or  not  it  is  the  genuine  article." 

"  Won't  that  be  awfully  out  of  our  way  ?" 

"Yes,  I  should  think  about  seventy-five  miles  ;  but 
then  we  may  find  a  steamer  there  that  will  take  us  to 
Juneau,  or  even  to  Sitka  itself." 

"  It  would  certainly  be  better  than  staying  here,"  re 
flected  Phil.  "  And  I  know  that  neither  Serge  nor  I 
wants  to  try  the  mountain  trail  again  after  what  we 
have  seen  to-day.  So  I  vote  for  going  to  Chilkat." 

"  So  do  I,"  assented  Serge. 

"  Same  here,"  said  Jalap  Coombs  ;  "  though  ef  any 
body  had  told  me  half  an  hour  ago  that  I'd  been  ship 
ping  for  a  cruise  along  with  them  black  pirates  before 


250  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

supper-time,  I'd  sartainly  doubted  him.  It  only  goes 
to  prove  what  my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  say, 
which  were,  '  Them  as  don't  expect  nothing  is  of  tenest 
surprised.' " 


CHAPTER    XXXVm 
THE    TREACHEROUS    SHAMAN    OF   KLUKWAN 

So  delighted  were  the  Chilkat  hunters  to  know  that 
they  were  to  have  the  honor  of  conveying  the  fur- 
seal's  tooth  back  to  their  tribe  that  they  wished  to 
start  at  once.  The  whites,  however,  refused  to  go  be 
fore  morning,  and  so  the  Indians  returned  down  the 
inlet  to  their  camp  of  the  preceding  night,  where  they 
would  cache  what  seals  they  had  obtained  in  order  to 
make  room  in  the  canoes  for  their  unexpected  passen 
gers.  They  agreed  to  be  back  by  daylight. 

After  they  were  gone,  and  our  travellers  had  disposed 
of  their  simple  but  highly  appreciated  meal  of  goat 
meat  and  tea,  they  gathered  about  the  fire  for  the  last 
of  those  "  dream-bag  talks,"  as  Phil  called  them,  that 
had  formed  so  pleasant  a  feature  of  their  long  journey. 
Without  saying  a  word,  but  with  a  happy  twinkle  in 
his  eyes,  Jalap  Coombs  produced  a  pipe  and  a  small 
square  of  tobacco,  which  he  began  with  great  care  to 
cut  into  shavings. 

"  Where  on  earth  did  you  get  them  ?"  asked  Phil. 

"Found  the  pipe  in  yonder  rubbish,"  replied  the 
sailor-man  ;  "and  Cap'n  Kid  give  me  the  'baccy  just 
now." 

"Nel-te  gave  you  the  tobacco?  Where  did  he  get 
it?" 

"  Dunno.    I  were  too  glad  to  get  it  to  ask  questions." 

"Well,"  said  Phil,  "the  mysteries  of  this  place  are 
beyond  finding  out." 


252  SNOW-SflOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"  This  one  isn't,"  laughed  Serge  .;  "  though  I  suppose 
it  would  be  if  I  hadn't  happened  to  see  one  of  the  Ind 
ians  slip  that  bit  of  tobacco  into  Nel-te's  hand." 

"  What  could  have  been  his  object  in  giving  such  a 
thing  as  that  to  a  child  ?" 

"  Oh,  the  Chilkat  children  use  it  as  well  as  their  eld 
ers  ;  and  I  suppose  he  wanted  to  gain  Nel-te's  good 
will,  seeing  that  he  is  the  guardian  of  the  fur-seal's 
tooth.  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  he  hoped  in  some 
way  to  get  it  from  the  child  before  we  reached  the 
village." 

"  Which  suggests  an  idea,"  said  Phil,  removing  the 
trinket  in  question  from  Nel-te's  neck  and  handing  it 
to  Serge.  "It  is  hard  to  say  just  who  the  tooth  does 
belong  to  now,  it  has  changed  hands  so  frequently,  but 
it  will  be  safer  for  the  next  day  or  two  with  you  than 
anywhere  else.  Besides,  it  is  only  fair  that,  as  it  came 
directly  from  the  Chilkats  to  you,  or,  rather,  to  your 
father,  you  should  have  the  satisfaction  of  restoring  it 
to  them." 

So  Serge  accepted  from  Phil  the  mysterious  bit  of 
ivory  that  he  had  given  the  latter  more  than  a  year  be 
fore  in  distant  New  London,  and  hung  it  about  his  neck. 

"  Last  night,"  said  Phil,  after  this  transfer  had  taken 
place,  "Mr.  Coombs  and  I  only  needed  a  pipeful  of 
tobacco  and  a  knowledge  of  how  we  were  to  escape 
from  here  to  make  us  perfectly  happy.  Now  we  have 
both." 

"  The  blamed  pipe  won't  draw,"  growled  Jalap 
Coombs. 

"  While  I,"  continued  Phil,  "  am  bothered.  I  know 
we  must  go  with  those  fellows,  but  I  don't  trust  them, 
and  shall  feel  uneasy  so  long  as  we  are  in  their  power." 

"  Do  you  think,"  asked  Serge,  "  that  these  things  go 
to  prove  that  there  isn't  any  such  thing  in  this  world 
as  perfect  happiness  ?" 


THE  TREACHEROUS  SHAMAN  OF  KLUKWAN   253 

"No,"  answered  Phil ;  "only  that  it  is  extremely  rare. 
How  is  it  with  you,  old  man  ?  Does  the  approaching 
end  of  our  journey  promise  you  perfect  happiness  ?" 

"  No,  indeed !"  cried  Serge,  vehemently.  "  In  spite 
of  its  hardships,  I  have  enjoyed  it  too  much  to  be  glad 
that  it  is  nearly  ended.  But  most  of  all,  Phil,  is  the 
fear  that  its  end  means  a  parting  from  you;  for  I  sup 
pose  you  will  go  right  on  to  San  Francisco,  while  I 
must  stay  behind." 

"I'm  afraid  so,"  admitted  Phil.  "But,  at  any  rate, 
old  fellow,  this  journey  has  given  me  one  happiness 
that  will  last  as  long  as  I  live,  for  it  has  given  me  your 
friendship,  and  taught  me  to  appreciate  it  at  its  true 
worth." 

"  Thank  you,  Phil,"  replied  Serge,  simply.  "  I  value 
those  words  from  you  more  than  I  should  from  any 
one  else  in  the  world.  Now  I  want  to  tell  you  what  I 
have  to  thank  the  journey  for  besides  a  friendship.  I 
believe  it  has  shown  me  what  is  to  be  my  life-work. 
You  know  that  missionary  at  Anvik  said  he  was  more 
in  need  of  teachers  than  anything  else.  While  I  don't 
know  very  much,  I  do  know  more  than  those  Indian 
and  Eskimo  boys,  and  I  did  enjoy  teaching  them. 
So,  if  I  can  get  my  mother  to  consent,  I  am  going  back 
to  Anvik  as  soon  as  I  can,  and  offer  my  services  as  a 
teacher." 

"  It  is  perfectly  splendid  of  you  to  think  of  it,"  cried 
Phil,  heartily;  "and  all  I  can  say  is  that  the  boys  who 
get  you  for  a  teacher  are  to  be  envied." 

So  late  did  the  lads  sit  up  that  night  talking  over 
their  plans  and  hopes  that  on  the  following  morning 
the  Indians  had  arrived  and  were  clamorous  for  them 
to  start  before  they  were  fairly  awake.  By  sunrise 
they,  together  with  the  three  dogs,  were  embarked  in 
a  great  long-beaked  and  marvellously  carved  Chilkat 
canoe,  hewn  from  a  single  cedar  log  and  painted  black. 


254  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

Two  of  the  Indians  occupied  it  with  them ;  while  the 
others  and  the  sledge  went  in  a  second  but  smaller 
canoe  of  the  same  ungraceful  design  as  the  first. 

As  with  sail  set  and  before  the  brisk  north  breeze 
that  ever  sweeps  down  the  glacier,  the  canoes  sped 
away  among  the  ice  floes  and  bergs  of  the  inlet,  our 
boys  cast  many  a  lingering  backward  glance  at  the 
little  cabin  that  had  proved  such  a  haven  to  them,  and 
at  the  stupendous  ice-wall  gleaming  in  frozen  splendor 
on  their  horizon.  Under  other  conditions  they  would 
gladly  have  stayed  and  explored  its  mysteries.  Now 
they  rejoiced  at  leaving  it. 

So  favoring  were  the  winds  that  they  left  Glacier 
Bay,  passed  Icy  Strait,  and  headed  northward  as  far  as 
the  mouth  of  Lynn  Canal  before  sunset  of  that  day. 
During  the  second  day  they  ran  the  whole  fifty-mile 
length  of  the  canal,  which  is  the  grandest  of  Alaska's 
rock-walled  fiords,  entered  Chilkat  Inlet,  passed  the 
canneries  at  Pyramid  Harbor  and  Chilkat,  which  would 
not  be  opened  until  the  beginning  of  the  salmon  season 
in  June,  entered  the  river,  and  finally  reached  Klu- 
kwan,  the  principal  Chilkat  village. 

Here,  as  the  smaller  canoe  had  preceded  them  and 
announced  their  coming,  our  travellers  were  welcomed 
by  the  entire  population  of  the  village.  These  thronged 
the  beach  in  a  state  of  the  wildest  excitement,  for  it 
was  known  to  all  that  the  long-lost  fur-seal's  tooth  was 
at  last  come  back  to  them.  Even  the  village  dogs  were 
there,  a  legion  of  snarling,  flea-bitten  curs.  Ere  the 
canoe  touched  the  beach,  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and  big 
Arnook  were  among  them,  and  a  battle  was  in  progress 
that  completely  drowned  the  cries  of  the  spectators 
with  its  uproar.  The  fighting  was  continued,  with 
only  brief  intervals,  throughout  the  night ;  but  in  the 
morning  the  three  champions  from  the  Yukon  were 
masters  of  the  situation,  and  roamed  the  village  with 


THE  TREACHEROUS  SHAMAN  OF  KLUKWAN   255 

bushy  tails  proudly  curled  over  their  backs  and  with 
out  interference.  "  For  all  the  world,"  said  Phil,  "  like 
the  Three  Musketeers." 

The  guests  of  the  village  were  escorted  to  the  coun 
cil-house,  to  which  were  also  taken  their  belongings. 
Here  they  were  supplied  with  venison,  salmon,  par 
tridges,  and  dried  berries ;  and  here,  after  supper,  they 
received  many  visitors,  all  anxious  for  a  sight  of  the 
magic  tooth.  Most  prominent  of  these  were  the  head 
Shaman  of  the  village,  and  the  principal  woman  of  the 
tribe,  whose  name  was  so  unpronounceable  that  Phil 
called  her  "  The  Princess,"  a  title  with  which  she  seemed 
to  be  well  pleased. 

She  was  the  widow  of  Kloh-kutz,  most  famous  of 
Chilkat  chiefs,  and  the  one  who  had  presented  the  fur- 
seal's  tooth  to  Serge  Belcofsky's  father.  On  the  occa 
sion  of  this  visit  she  wore  a  beautifully  embroidered 
dress,  together  with  a  Chilkat  blanket  of  exquisite 
fineness  thrown  over  her  shoulders  like  a  shawl,  and 
fastened  at  the  throat  with  a  stout  safety-pin.  The 
Princess  devoted  herself  to  Serge,  whom  she  evidently 
considered  the  most  important  person  in  the  party, 
and  to  little  Nel-te,  who  took  to  her  at  once.  While 
she  pronounced  the  fur-seal's  tooth  to  be  the  same 
that  had  belonged  to  her  husband,  the  Shaman  shook 
his  head  doubtfully.  Then  it  was  handed  from  one  to 
another  of  a  number  of  lesser  Shamans  and  chiefs  for 
inspection.  Suddenly  one  of  these  dropped  it  to  the 
floor,  and,  when  search  was  made,  it  could  not  be 
found. 

Phil  was  furious  at  the  impudence  of  this  trick. 
Even  Serge  was  indignant ;  while  Jalap  Coombs  said 
it  was  just  what  might  be  expected  from  land-sharks 
and  pirates. 

The  Shaman  insisted  that  the  tooth  was  not  lost,  but 
had  disappeared  of  its  own  accord.  If  it  were  not  the 


256  SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

same  fur-seal's  tooth  that  belonged  to  their  tribe  in 
former  years,  it  would  not  be  seen  again.  If  it  were, 
it  would  appear  within  a  few  days  attached  to  a  hid 
eously  carved  representative  of  Hutle,  the  thunder-bird 
that  stood  in  one  of  Kloh-kutz's  houses,  now  used  as  a 
place  for  incantation. 

"  We  don't  care  anything  about  all  that !"  exclaimed 
Phil,  when  this  was  translated  to  him.  "  Tell  him  he 
can  do  as  he  pleases  with  the  tooth,  so  long  as  he  gives 
us  the  canoe  we  have  bargained  for." 

To  this  the  Shaman  replied  that  they  should  surely 
have  a  canoe  as  soon  as  the  tooth  proved  its  genuine 
ness  by  reappearing.  In  the  meantime,  if  they  were 
in  such  a  hurry  to  get  away  that  they  did  not  care  to 
wait,  he  had  a  very  fine  canoe  that  he  would  let  them 
have  at  once  in  exchange  for  their  guns  and  their 
dogs. 

"  You  may  tell  him  that  we  will  wait,"  replied  Phil, 
grimly,  "but  you  need  not  tell  him  what  is  equally 
true — that  we  shall  only  wait  until  we  find  a  chance  to 
help  ourselves  to  the  best  canoe  in  the  village  and  take 
French  leave." 

So  they  waited,  though  very  impatiently,  in  Klu- 
kwan  for  nearly  a  week,  during  which  time  Phil  had 
ample  opportunities  for  studying  Chilkat  architecture 
and  totem  poles.  The  houses  of  the  village  were  all 
built  of  heavy  hewn  planks  set  on  end.  They  had 
bark  or  plank  roofs,  with  a  square  opening  in  each  for 
the  egress  of  smoke.  Many  of  them  had  glass  windows 
and  ordinary  doors ;  but  in  others  the  doors  were  placed 
so  high  from  the  ground  as  to  be  reached  by  ladders 
on  both  outside  and  inside.  The  great  totem  poles  that 
stood  before  every  house  were  ten,  twenty,  or  thirty 
feet  tall,  and  covered  with  heraldic  carvings  from  bot 
tom  to  top. 

During  this  time  of  waiting  the  Shaman  made  re- 


A  CHJLKAT  "PRINCESS" 


THE  TREACHEROUS  SHAMAN  OP  KLUKWAN   257 

peated  offers  to  sell  the  strangers  a  canoe,  all  of  which 
were  indignantly  declined.  That  they  did  not  appro 
priate  one  to  their  own  use  was  for  the  very  simple 
reason  that  all,  except  a  few  very  small  or  leaky  canoes, 
mysteriously  disappeared  from  the  village  that  first 
night. 

At  length  the  tricky  medicine -man  was  forced  to 
yield  to  the  threats  of  the  Princess,  who  had  taken  the 
part  of  our  travellers  from  the  first,  and  to  popular 
clamor.  He  therefore  announced  one  evening  that  he 
had  been  informed  during  a  vision  that  the  fur-seal's 
tooth  would  reappear  among  them  on  the  morrow. 

On  the  following  morning  Phil  and  his  companions 
were  aroused  by  a  tremendous  shouting  and  firing  of 
guns,  all  of  which  proclaimed  that  the  happy  event 
had  taken  place. 

"  Now,"  cried  Phil,  "  perhaps  we  will  get  our  canoe." 

But  there  were  no  canoes  to  be  seen  on  the  beach, 
and  the  Shaman  coolly  informed  them  that,  though  the 
precious  tooth  had  indeed  come  back  to  dwell  with  the 
Chilkats,  they  would  still  be  obliged  to  wait  until  some 
of  the  canoes  returned  from  the  hunting  expeditions 
on  which  they  had  all  been  taken. 

At  this  Phil  fell  into  such  a  rage  that,  regardless  of 
consequences,  he  was  on  the  point  of  giving  the  old 
fraud  a  most  beautiful  thrashing,  when  his  uplifted 
arm  was  startlingly  arrested  by  the  deep  boom  of  a 
heavy  gun  that  seemed  to  come  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX 

INVADING  A  CAPTAIN'S  CABIN 

AN  earthquake  could  hardly  have  caused  greater 
consternation  in  the  village  of  Klukwan  than  did  the 
boom  of  that  heavy  gun  as  it  came  echoing  up  the 
palisaded  valley  of  the  Chilkat.  Not  many  years  be 
fore  the  Indians  of  that  section  had  defied  the  power 
of  the  United  States,  and  killed  several  American  citi 
zens.  A  gunboat,  hurried  to  the  scene  of  trouble, 
shelled  and  destroyed  one  of  their  villages  in  retalia 
tion.  From  that  time  on,  no  sound  was  so  terrible  to 
them  as  the  roar  of  a  big  gun. 

While  Phil  and  his  companions  were  chafing  at  the 
delay  imposed  upon  them  by  the  greed  of  the  Chilkat 
Shaman,  a  government  vessel  arrived  in  the  neighbor 
ing  inlet  of  Chilkoot,  bearing  a  party  of  scientific  men, 
who  were  to  cross  the  mountains  at  that  point  for  an 
exploration  of  the  upper  Yukon,  and  the  locating  of 
the  boundary-line  between  Alaska  and  Canada. 

The  Princess,  learning  of  its  presence,  and  despairing 
of  assisting  her  white  friends  in  any  other  way,  secret 
ly  despatched  a  messenger  to  the  captain  of  the  ship 
with  the  information  that  some  Americans  were  being 
detained  in  Klukwan  against  their  will.  Upon  re 
ceipt  of  this  news  the  captain  promptly  steamed 
around  into  Chilkat  Inlet,  and  as  near  to  its  head  as 
the  draught  of  his  vessel  would  allow.  As  he  dropped 
anchor,  there  came  such  a  sound  of  firing  from  up  the 
river  that  he  imagined  a  fight  to  be  in  progress,  and 


INVADING  A  CAPTAIN'S  CABIN  259 

fired  one  of  his  own  big  guns  to  give  warning  of  his 
presence. 

The  effect  of  this  dread  message  was  instantaneous. 
Phil  Ryder  dropped  his  uplifted  arm.  The  Chilkat 
Shaman  scuttled  away,  issued  an  order,  and  within  five 
minutes  a  new  and  perfectly  equipped  canoe  was  mar 
vellously  produced  from  somewhere  and  tendered  to 
Serge  Belcofsky.  Five  minutes  later  he  and  his  com 
panions  had  taken  a  grateful  leave  of  the  Princess,  and 
were  embarked  with  all  their  effects,  including  the  three 
dogs. 

Phil  stationed  himself  in  the  bow,  Serge  tended  sheet, 
and  Jalap  Coombs  steered.  As  before  the  prevailing 
northerly  wind  their  long-beaked  canoe  shot  out  from 
the  river  into  the  wider  waters  of  the  inlet,  and  they 
saw,  at  anchor,  less  than  a  mile  away,  a  handsome 
cutter  flying  the  United  States  revenue  flag,  the  three 
friends  uttered  a  simultaneous  cry  of : 

"ThePAoea/" 

"  Hurrah !"  yelled  Phil. 

"  Hurrah  !"  echoed  Serge. 

"  Bless  her  pretty  picter !"  roared  Jalap  Coombs, 
standing  up  and  waving  the  old  tarpaulin  hat  that, 
though  often  eclipsed  by  a  fur  hood,  had  been  faithful 
ly  cherished  during  the  entire  journey. 

Even  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and  big  Amook  caught  the  pre 
vailing  excitement,  and  gave  vent  to  their  feelings  in 
loud  and  joyous  barkings. 

At  that  moment  one  of  the  cutter's  boats,  in  com 
mand  of  a  strange  lieutenant,  with  a  howitzer  mounted 
in  its  bows,  and  manned  by  a  dozen  heavily  armed 
sailors,  hailed  the  canoe  and  shot  alongside. 

"  What's  the  trouble  up  the  river  ?"  demanded  the 
officer. 

"  There  isn't  any,"  answered  Phil. 

"  What  was  all  the  firing  about?" 


260  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

"  Celebrating  some  sort  of  native  Fourth  of  July. 
Is  Captain  Matthews  still  in  command  of  the  Phoca  ?n 

"  Yes.     Does  he  know  you  ?" 

"  I  rather  guess  he  does,  and,  with  your  permission, 
we'll  report  to  him  in  person." 

With  this  the  canoe  shot  ahead,  leaving  the  lieuten 
ant  greatly  puzzled  as  to  whether  he  should  follow  it 
or  continue  up  the  river,  though  he  finally  concluded 
to  adopt  the  former  course. 

"  Pull  up  the  hoods  of  your  parkas,"  said  Phil  to  his 
companions,  "and  we'll  give  the  captain  a  surprise- 
party." 

A  minute  later  one  of  the  Phoca's  quartermasters 
reported  to  the  captain  that  a  canoe-load  of  natives 
was  almost  alongside. 

"Very  well;  let  them  come  aboard,  and  I'll  hear 
what  they  have  to  say." 

In  vain  did  the  quartermaster  strive  to  direct  the 
canoe  to  the  port  gangway.  The  natives  did  not  seem 
to  understand,  and  insisted  on  rounding  up  under  the 
starboard  quarter,  reserved  for  officers  and  distin 
guished  guests.  One  of  them  sprang  out  the  moment 
its  bow  touched  the  side  steps,  clambered  aboard, 
pushed  aside  the  wrathful  quartermaster,  and  started 
for  the  captain's  door  with  the  sailor  in  hot  pursuit. 

"  Hold  on,  you  blooming  young  savage !  Ye  can't 
go  in  there,"  he  shouted,  but  to  heedless  ears. 

As  Phil  gained  the  door  it  was  opened  by  the  com 
mander  himself,  who  was  about  to  come  out  for  a  look 
at  the  natives. 

"  How  are  you,  Captain  Matthews  ?"  shouted  the  fur- 
clad  intruder  into  the  sacred  privacy  of  the  cabin,  at 
the  same  time  raising  a  hand  in  salute.  "  It  is  awfully 
good  of  you,  sir,  to  come  for  us.  I  only  hope  you 
didn't  bother  to  wait  very  long  at  the  Pribyloffs." 

"  Eh  ?    What  ?    Who  are  you,  sir  ?    What  does  this 


INVADING  A  CAPTAIN'S  CABIN  261 

mean?  Phil  Ryder!  You  young  villain  !  You  scamp ! 
Bless  my  soul,  but  this  is  the  most  wonderful  thing  I 
ever  heard  of  !"  cried  the  astonished  commander,  stag 
gering  back  into  the  cabin,  and  pulling  Phil  after  him. 
"  May,  daughter,  look  here !" 

At  that  moment  there  came  a  yelping  rush,  and  with 
a  chorus  of  excited  barkings  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and 
big  Amook  dashed  pell-mell  into  the  cabin.  After 
them  came  Serge,  Jalap  Coombs,  and  the  horrified 
quartermaster,  all  striving  in  vain  to  capture  and  re 
strain  the  riotous  dogs.  As  if  any  one  could  prevent 
them  from  following  and  sharing  the  joy  of  the  young 
master  who  had  fed  them  night  after  night  for  months 
by  lonely  camp-fires  of  the  Yukon  Valley ! 

So  they  flung  themselves  into  the  cabin,  and  tore 
round  and  round,  amid  such  a  babel  of  shouts,  laughter, 
barkings,  and  crash  of  overturned  furniture  as  was 
never  before  heard  in  that  orderly  apartment. 

Finally  the  terrible  dogs  were  captured,  one  by  one, 
and  led  away.  May  Matthews  emerged  from  a  safe 
retreat,  where,  convulsed  with  laughter,  she  had  wit 
nessed  the  whole  uproarious  proceeding.  Her  father, 
still  ejaculating  "  Bless  my  soul !"  at  intervals,  gradu 
ally  recovered  sufficient  composure  to  recognize  and 
welcome  Serge  and  "  Ipecac  "  Coombs,  as  he  persisted 
in  calling  poor  Jalap.  The  upset  chairs  were  placed  to 
rights,  and  all  hands  began  to  ask  questions  with  such 
rapidity  that  no  one  had  time  to  pause  for  answers. 

From  the  confusion  Captain  Matthews  finally  evolved 
an  understanding  that  the  boys  were  still  desirous  of 
reaching  Sitka,  whereupon  he  remarked  : 

"Sitka!  Sitka!  It  never  occurred  to  me  that  you 
had  any  desire  to  visit  Sitka.  I  thought  your  sole 
ambition  was  to  attain  the  North  Pole.  If  you  had 
only  mentioned  Sitka  last  summer  I  might  have  ar 
ranged  the  trip  for  you ;  but  now  I  fear — " 


262  SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES 

At  this  moment  there  came  a  knock  at  the  door, 
and  when  it  was  opened  the  quartermaster  began  to 
say,  "Excuse  me,  sir,  but  here's  another — "  Before 
he  could  finish  his  sentence  a  small  furry  object 
jerked  away  from  him  with  such  force  that  it  took 
a  header  into  the  room,  and  landed  at  the  feet  of  the 
commander  on  all  fours,  like  a  little  bear. 

"  Bless  my  soul !  What's  this  ?"  cried  Captain 
Matthews,  springing  to  one  side  in  dismay. 

"  It's  a  baby !"  screamed  Miss  May,  darting  for 
ward  and  snatching  up  the  child.  "  A  darling  little 
Indian  in  furs.  Where  did  it  come  from?" 

"  Great  Scott !"  exclaimed  Phil,  remorsefully.  "  To 
think  that  we  should  have  forgotten  Nel-te  !" 

"  Are  there  any  more  yet  to  come  ?"  demanded  the 
captain. 

"  No,  sir ;  the  whole  ship's  company  is  present  and 
accounted  for,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs.  "But  with 
your  leave,  sir,  I'll  just  step  out  and  take  a  look  at  our 
boat,  for  she's  a  ticklish  craft  to  navigate,  and  might 
come  to  grief  in  strange  hands." 

So  saying,  the  honest  fellow,  glad  of  an  excuse  to 
escape  from  the  cabin,  where  he  felt  awkward  and 
out  of  place,  as  well  as  uncomfortably  warm  in  his  fur 
garments,  pulled  at  the  fringe  of  long  wolf's  hairs  sur 
rounding  his  face,  and  shuffled  away.  A  few  minutes 
later  saw  him  in  the  forecastle,  where,  divested  of  his 
unsailor-like  parka,  puffing  with  infinite  zest  at  one 
of  the  blackest  of  pipes  filled  with  the  blackest  of 
tobacco,  and  the  centre  of  an  admiring  group  of  sea 
men,  he  was  spinning  incredible  yarns  of  his  recent 
and  wonderful  experiences  with  snow-shoes  and 
sledges. 

In  the  meantime  May  Matthews  was  delightedly 
winning  Nel-te's  baby  affections,  while  Phil  and  Serge 
were  still  plying  the  captain  with  questions. 


INVADING  A  CAPTAIN'S  CABIN  263 

"  "Were  you  saying,  sir,  that  you  feared  you  couldn't 
take  us  to  Sitka  ?"  inquired  Serge,  anxiously. 

"Not  at  all,  my  lad,"  replied  the  captain.  "I  was 
about  to  remark  that  I  feared  you  would  not  care  to 
go  there  now,  seeing  that  there  is  hardly  any  one  in 
Sitka  whom  you  want  to  see,  unless  it  is  your  mother 
and  sisters  and  Phil  Ryder's  father  and  aunt  Ruth." 

"What!"  cried  Phil,  "my  Aunt  Ruth!  Are  you 
certain,  sir  ?" 

"  Certain  I  am,"  replied  Captain  Matthews,  "  that  if 
both  the  individuals  I  have  just  mentioned  aren't  al 
ready  in  Sitka,  they  will  be  there  very  shortly,  for  I 
left  them  in  San  Francisco  preparing  to  start  at  once. 
Moreover,  I  have  orders  to  carry  your  father  to  St. 
Michaels,  where  he  expects  to  find  you.  So  now  you 
see  in  what  a  complication  your  turning  up  in  this  out 
landish  fashion  involves  me." 

"But  how  did  my  aunt  Ruth  ever  happen  to  come 
out  here  ?"  inquired  Phil. 

"  Came  out  to  nurse  your  father  while  his  leg  was 
mending,  and  incidentally  to  find  out  what  had  become 
of  an  undutiful  nephew  whom  she  seems  to  fancy  has 
an  aptitude  for  getting  into  scrapes,"  laughed  the  cap 
tain. 

"  Has  my  father  recovered  from  his  accident  ?" 

"  So  entirely  that  he  fancies  his  leg  is  sounder  and 
better  than  ever  it  was." 

"  And  are  you  bound  for  Sitka  now,  sir  ?" 

"To  be  sure  I  am,  and  should  have  been  half-way 
there  by  this  time  if  I  hadn't  been  delayed  by  a  report 
of  some  sort  of  a  row  between  the  Chilkats  and  a  party 
of  whites.  Now,  having  settled  that  difficulty  by  cap 
turing  the  entire  force  of  aggressors,  I  propose  to  carry 
them  to  Sitka  as  legitimate  prisoners,  and  there  turn 
them  over  to  the  authorities.  So,  gentlemen,  you  will 
please  consider  yourselves  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  un- 


264  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

der  orders  not  to  leave  this  ship  until  she  arrives  at 
Sitka." 

"With  pleasure,  sir,"  laughed  Phil.  "Only  don't 
you  think  you'd  better  place  us  under  guard  ?" 

"  I  expect  it  will  be  best,"  replied  the  captain,  grave 
ly,  "seeing  that  you  are  charged  with  seal -poaching, 
piracy,  defying  government  officers,  and  escaping  from 
arrest,  as  well  as  the  present  offence  of  making  war  on 
native  Americans." 


CHAPTER  XL 
IN    SITKA    TOWN 

THE  long-beaked  and  wonderfully  carved  Chilkat 
canoe  was  taken  on  the  Phoca's  deck,  the  anchor  was 
weighed,  and,  with  the  trim  cutter  headed  southward, 
the  last  stage  of  the  adventurous  journey,  pursued 
amid  such  strange  vicissitudes,  was  begun.  As  the 
ship  sped  swiftly  past  the  overhanging  ice-fields  of 
Davidson  Glacier,  out  of  Chilkat  Inlet  into  the  broad, 
mountain-walled  waters  of  Lynn  Canal,  and  down  that 
thoroughfare  into  Chatham  Strait,  Captain  Matthews 
listened  with  absorbed  interest  to  Phil's  account  of  the 
remarkable  adventures  that  he  and  Serge  had  encoun 
tered  from  the  time  he  had  last  seen  them  at  the 
Pribyloff  Islands  down  to  the  present  moment. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  when  the  recital  was  finished,  "  I've 
done  a  good  bit  of  knocking  about  in  queer  places 
during  thirty  years  of  going  to  sea,  and  had  some  ex 
periences,  but  my  life  has  been  tame  and  monotonous 
compared  with  the  one  you  have  led  for  the  past  year. 
Why,  lad,  if  an  account  of  what  you  have  gone  through 
in  attempting  to  take  a  quiet  little  trip  from  New 
London  to  Sitka  was  written  out  and  printed  in  a  book, 
people  wouldn't  believe  it  was  true.  They'd  shake 
their  heads  and  say  it  was  all  made  up,  which  only 
goes  to  prove,  what  I  never  believed  before,  that  truth 
is  sometimes  stranger  than  fiction,  after  all." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phil ;  "  and  the  strangest  part  of  it 
all  is  the  way  that  fur-seal's  tooth  has  followed  us 


266  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

and  exerted  its  influence  in  our  behalf  from  the  begin 
ning  to  the  very  end.  Why,  sir,  if  it  hadn't  been  for 
that  tooth  you  wouldn't  have  come  to  Chilkat,  and  we 
shouldn't  be  in  the  happy  position  we  are  at  this  very 
moment." 

"You  don't  mean  to  say,"  cried  Captain  Matthews, 
"  that  it  turned  up  again  after  your  father  lost  it  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  sir,  and  it's  been  with  us,  off  and  on,  all 
the  time." 

"  Then  at  last  I  can  have  the  pleasure  of  showing 
it  to  my  daughter.  Would  you  mind  letting  me  have 
it  for  a  few  minutes  ?" 

"  Unfortunately,  sir — " 

"  Now  don't  tell  me  that  you  have  gone  and  lost  it 
again  !" 

"  Not  exactly  lost  it,"  replied  Phil.  "  At  the  same 
time,  I  don't  know  precisely  where  it  is  nor  what  has 
become  of  it,  only  it  is  somewhere  back  in  Klukwan, 
where  it  originally  came  from,  and  I  have  every  rea 
son  to  believe  that  it  is  in  possession  of  the  principal 
Chilkat  Shaman." 

"  I  declare,  that  is  too  bad !"  exclaimed  the  captain. 
"If  I  had  known  that  sooner  I  believe  I  should  have 
kept  right  on  and  shelled  the  village  until  they  gave 
me  the  tooth,  so  strong  is  my  desire  to  get  hold  of  it." 

"  And  so  secured  to  yourself  the  ill-luck  of  him  who 
steals  it,"  laughed  Phil. 

That  afternoon  the  Phoea  turned  sharply  to  the 
right,  and  began  to  thread  the  swift-rushing  and  rock- 
strewn  waters  of  Peril  Strait,  the  narrow  channel  that 
washes  the  northern  end  of  Baranoff  Island,  on  which 
Sitka  is  situated.  Now  Serge  stood  on  the  bridge 
beside  his  friend,  so  nervous  with  excitement  that  he 
could  hardly  speak.  Every  roaring  tide  rip  and  swirl 
ing  eddy  of  those  waters,  every  rock  with  its  streamers 
of  brown  kelp,  every  beach  and  wooded  point,  were  like 


IN   SITKA   TOWN  267 

familiar  faces  to  the  young  Russo-American,  for  just 
beyond  them  Jay  his  home,  that  dear  home  from  which 
he  had  been  more  than  three  years  absent. 

Suddenly  he  clutched  Phil's  arm  and  pointed  to  a 
lofty,  snow- crowned  peak  looming  high  above  the 
forest  and  bathed  in  rosy  sunlight.  "  There's  Mount 
Edgecumbe  !"  he  cried ;  and  a  few  minutes  afterwards, 
"  There's  Yerstovoi !"  Phil  felt  the  nervous  fingers 
tremble  as  they  gripped  his  arm;  and  when,  a  little 
later,  the  cutter  swept  from  a  narrow  passage  into  an 
island-studded  bay,  he  could  hardly  hear  the  hoarse 
whisper  of:  "There,  Phil!  there's  Sitka !  Dear,  beau 
tiful  Sitka!" 

And  Phil  was  nearly  as  excited  as  Serge  to  think 
that,  after  twelve  months  of  ceaseless  wanderings,  the 
goal  for  which  he  had  set  forth  was  at  last  reached. 

Serge  pointed  out  in  rapid  succession  the  picturesque 
Greek  church,  the  quaint  little  house  known  as  the 
Governor's  Mansion,  the  marine  barracks,  the  solid 
log  structure  of  the  old  Russian  trading  company,  the 
long,  straggling  Indian  village,  and  the  fine  "Gov 
ernor's  Walk  "  leading  to  beautiful  Indian  River.  But 
he  looked  in  vain  for  the  most  conspicuous  landmark 
of  all ;  for  old  Baranoff  Castle,  crowning  Katlean's 
Rock,  had  been  destroyed  by  fire  since  he  left  home. 

The  Phoca  had  hardly  dropped  anchor  before  another 
ship  appeared  entering  the  bay  from  the  same  direc 
tion.  "  The  mail  -  steamer  from  Puget  Sound,"  an 
nounced  Captain  Matthews. 

This  boat  brought  but  few  passengers,  for  the  season 
was  yet  too  early  for  tourists  ;  but  on  her  upper  deck 
stood  a  gentleman  and  a  lady,  the  former  of  whom 
was  pointing  out  objects  of  interest  almost  as  eagerly 
as  Serge  had  done  a  short  time  before. 

"It  is  lovely,"  said  his  companion,  enthusiastically, 
"but  it  seems  perfectly  incredible  that  I  should  act- 


268  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

ually  be  here,  and  that  this  is  the  place  for  which  our 
Phil  set  out  with  such  high  hopes  a  year  ago.  Do  you 
realize,  John,  that  it  is  just  one  year  ago  to-day  since 
he  left  New  London  ?  Oh,  if  we  only  knew  where  the 
dear  boy  was  at  this  minute  !  And  to  think  that  I 
should  have  got  here  before  him  !" 

"  Now  he  will  probably  never  get  here,"  replied  Mr. 
Ryder  ;  "  for,  on  account  of  that  California  offer,  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  return  directly  to  San  Francisco 
from  St.  Michaels  without  even  a  chance  of  going  up 
the  Yukon,  which  I  know  will  be  a  great  disappoint 
ment  to  Phil.  But  look  there,  Ruth.  You  have  been 
wanting  to  see  a  canoe-load  of  Indians,  and  here  comes 
as  typical  a  one  as  I  ever  saw.  A  perfect  specimen  of 
an  Alaskan  dug-out,  natives  in  full  winter  costume, 
Eskimo  dogs,  and  a  sledge,  I  declare !  They  must 
have  just  come  back  from  a  hunting  expedition  to  the 
mainland.  See  the  snow-shoes  slung  on  their  backs, 
and  how  gracefully  they  handle  their  paddles  !  Even 
Phil  might  take  a  lesson  from  them  in  that." 

"  And,  oh  !"  cried  Miss  Ruth,  "  there  is  a  tiny  bit 
of  a  child,  all  in  furs,  just  like  its  father.  See  ?  Nes 
tled  among  the  dogs,  with  a  pair  of  wee  snow-shoes  on 
his  back  too.  Isn't  he  a  darling  ?  How  I  should  love 
to  hug  him  !  Oh,  John,  we  must  find  them  when  we 
get  ashore;  for  that  child  is  the  very  cutest  thing  I 
have  seen  in  all  Alaska." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Mr.  Ryder,  smiling  good-nat 
uredly  at  his  sister's  enthusiasm.  "We  will  watch 
and  see  where  they  make  a  landing." 

By  this  time  the  steamer  was  made  fast,  and  the 
passengers  were  already  going  ashore.  When  Mr. 
Ryder  and  his  sister  gained  the  wharf  they  were  sur 
prised  to  see  that  the  very  canoe  in  which  they  were 
interested  had  come  to  the  landing-stage,  where  its 
occupants  were  already  disembarking. 


IN    SITKA    TOWN  269 

"What  fair  complexions  they  have  for  Indians," 
said  Miss  Ruth,  stopping  to  watch  the  natives.  As 
the  foremost  of  them  ran  up  the  steps,  she  moved 
aside  to  let  him  pass.  The  next  moment  she  uttered  a 
shriek  of  horror,  for  he  had  suddenly  thrown  his  arms 
about  her  neck  and  kissed  her. 

"  Aunt  Ruth,  you're  a  brick !  a  perfect  brick  !"  he 
cried.  "To  think  of  you  coming  away  out  here  to  see 
me!"  Then  turning  to  Mr.  Ryder,  and  embracing 
that  bewildered  gentleman  in  his  furry  arms,  the  ex 
cited  boy  exclaimed  :  "  And  pop.  You  dear  old  pop ! 
If  you  only  knew  how  distressed  I  have  been  about 
you  1  If  you  hadn't  turned  up  just  as  you  have,  I  should 
have  dropped  everything  and  gone  in  search  of  you." 

"Oh,  Phil,  how  could  you?"  gasped  Aunt  Ruth. 
"You  frightened  me  almost  to  death,  and  have  crushed 
me  all  out  of  shape.  You  are  a  regular  polar-bear  in 
all  those  furs  and  things.  What  do  you  mean,  sir  ? 
Oh,  you  dear,  dear  boy !"  At  this  point  Miss  Ruth's 
feelings  so  completely  overcame  her  that  she  sat  down 
on  a  convenient  log  and  burst  into  hysterical  weeping. 

"  There,  you  young  scamp  !"  cried  Mr.  Ryder,  whose 
own  eyes  were  full  of  joyful  tears  at  that  moment. 
"See  what  you  have  done!  Aren't  you  ashamed  of 
yourself,  sir  ?" 

"Yes,  pop,  awfully.  But  I've  got  something  that 
will  cheer  her  up  and  amuse  her.  And  here's  Serge 
and —  No  he  isn't,  either.  What  has  become  of 
Serge  ?  Oh,  I  suppose  he  has  gone  home.  Don't  see 
why  he  need  be  in  such  a  hurry,  though.  No  matter ; 
here's  Jalap  Coombs.  You  remember  Jalap,  father? 
And  here,  Aunt  Ruth,  is  the  curio  I  promised  to  bring 
you  from  Alaska.  Look  out ;  it's  alive  !" 

With  this  the  crazy  lad  snatched  Nel-te  from  the 
arms  of  Jalap  Coombs,  who  had  just  brought  him  up 
the  steps,  and  laid  him  in  Miss  Ruth's  lap,  saying,  "He's 


270  SNOW-SHOES   AND   SLEDGES 

a  little  orphan  kid  that  I  found  in  the  wilderness,  and 
adopted  for  you  to  love." 

Miss  Ruth  gave  such  a  start  as  the  small  bundle  of 
fur  was  so  unexpectedly  thrust  at  her  that  poor  Nel-te 
rolled  to  the  ground.  From  there  he  lifted  such  a 
pitifully  frightened  little  face,  with  such  tear-filled 
eyes  and  quivering  lips,  that  Miss  Ruth  snatched  him 
up  and  hugged  him.  Then  she  kissed  and  petted  him 
to  such  an  extent  that  by  the  time  he  was  again  smil 
ing  he  had  won  a  place  in  her  loving  heart  second  only 
to  that  occupied  by  Phil  himself. 

In  the  meantime  Musky,  Luvtuk,  and  big  Amook 
were  tearing  madly  up  and  down  the  wharf,  yelping 
and  barking  their  joyful  recognition  of  the  fact  that 
the  long  journey,  with  its  months  of  hard  work,  was 
ended,  and  for  them  at  least  play-time  had  come. 

With  this  journey's  end  also  came  the  partings  that 
always  form  so  sad  a  feature  of  all  journeys'  ends. 
Even  the  three  dogs  that  had  travelled  together  for  so 
long  were  separated,  Musky  being  given  to  Serge, 
Luvtuk  to  May  Matthews,  to  become  the  pet  of  the 
fhoca's  crew,  and  big  Amook  going  with  Phil,  Aunt 
Ruth,  Nel-te,  the  sledge,  the  snow-shoes,  and  the  beau 
tiful  white,  thick-furred  skin  of  a  mountain  goat  to 
distant  New  London. 

Mr.  Ryder  and  Jalap  Coombs  accompanied  them  as 
far  as  San  Francisco.  Dear  old  Serge  was  reluctantly 
left  behind,  busily  making  preparations  to  carry  out 
his  cherished  scheme  of  returning  to  Anvik  as  a 
teacher. 

In  San  Francisco  Mr.  Ryder  secured  for  Jalap 
Coombs  the  command  of  a  trading  schooner  plying 
between  that  port  and  Honolulu.  When  it  was  an 
nounced  to  him  that  he  was  at  last  actually  a  captain, 
the  honest  fellow's  voice  trembled  with  emotion  as  he 
answered : 


IN   SITKA   TOWN  271 

"  Mr.  Ryder,  sir,  and  Phil,  I  never  did  wholly  look 
to  be  a  full-rigged  cap'n,  though  I've  striv  and  waited 
for  the  berth  nigh  on  to  forty  year.  Now  I  know  that 
it's  jest  as  my  old  friend  Kite  Roberson  useter  say;  for 
he  allus  said,  Kite  did,  that  'Them  as  waits  the  pa- 
tientest  is  bound  to  see  things  happen.' " 


THE    END 


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